How do you get a room full of kids (and their reluctant cooking teacher) to eat their just-harvested beets? Whirl them into some homemade hummus! When I was invited to cook with a group of students from SCRATCH, a community garden program focusing on youth who bring their farm to the table, I couldn't believe my luck. They arrived with about a bushel of beets which we scrubbed and roasted and then let the food processor do the work of turning our golden hummus into a hot pink discovery. Then it disappeared just as magically. These happy growers are amazing kitchen hands and I can't wait to see what they harvest next. Happy Cooking!

Hot Pink Hummus

We made a double batch of classic hummus, then scooped out half and added the beets to the processor. A couple of swirls of the machine and gold turned to the most amazing pink

2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 (15-ounce) can chick peas, drained and rinsed
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for storing
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 small beets, roasted until tender and peeled
PULSE the garlic in a food processor to mince. Add the drained chick peas, lemon zest and juice and boiling water. Blend for 3 minutes, scraping the side of the container after 1 minute. Add the olive oil, salt, and beets and blend until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and drizzle the top with a bit of olive oil to keep from drying out. Refrigerate for up to 1 week