Hummus with Spiced Ground Beef & Pine Nuts

I know I haven't posted any new recipes for a while, but welcome to COVID cooking!  I've not only been making a lot of my old favorites from here, but have been inspired (or forced? LOL) to branch out and try some new stuff.  This recipe from Ellie Krieger's Whole In One cookbook is great.  My son didn't love it, but it's a little off the beaten track (sort of a Moroccan flavor) and he is not super tolerant of foods that wander outside his normal taste profile.  I, on the other hand, was totally into it!  The combination of the sweetly spiced meat with the crunchy pine nuts and smooth hummus was just awesome.  Leftovers have to be separated out into components, since some are hot and others cold.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. pine nuts
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin (Ellie recommends fewer spices but I think it needed more flavor)
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 12 oz lean ground beef
• 1 1/3 c hummus
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/4 c fresh parsley or cilantro
• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil for drizzling (optional)

Toast the pine nuts in a medium skillet over med-high heat, stirring frequently, until brown and fragrant.  2-3 min.  Transfer these to a small dish.  Add the oil to the skillet and heat, then add onions and cook until softened.  Stir in the garlic and other spices, cook for 30 sec, to release the aromas.  Add the meat, and brown it, breaking it up.  

To serve, spread 1/3 c. hummus on each plate.  Mound 1/2c meat on top of that, then sprinkle with tomatoes, greens, and pine nuts.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Serve with pita bread.

Makes 4 servings.  Each serving (without pita bread) 430 cal, 27 g fat, 26 g protein, 23 g. carbs, 7g fiber, 55 mg cholesterol