August RotM: Grilled Hummus & Veggie Sandwiches

Happy August! It's the height of summer which means it's time for grillin' veggies. I've been tinkering with the perfect hummus recipe to accompany these blackened beauties and decided to try and give it a little of that smokey grilled pizzazz itself. Enter: Grilled lemons.

Grilling just adding that little extra summery zest and complements this summertime sandwich perfectly. So without further ado:

For the Hummus:

3 tbsp tahini

1 large lemon

2 cloves garlic, minced

14 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp paprika

1-3 tbsp

For the Sandwich:

1 loaf of good sandwich bread

1 red pepper, cored and quartered

1 medium zucchini, sliced diagonally 1/4" thick

1/2 c fresh spinach

Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

1. While the grill is heating, cut the lemon in half and brush the red pepper and zucchini with olive oil.

2. Add red pepper, zucchini, and lemon (cut side down) to the grill when ready. Allow to grill until each has nice grill marks before removing the lemon and flipping the vegetables. Grill to your desired tenderness and crispiness (I did about 10 minutes total).

3. To make the hummus: While veggies finish grilling, squeeze the lemon juice into a food processor and add the tahini. Process for 1 minute before scraping the sides and running once more, until the lemon juice and tahini have fully blended. Add the garlic, chickpeas, olive oil, and spices and blend until smooth. Add 1-3 tbsp water to reach desired thickness, scraping the sides as you go.

4. Remove veggies from grill once they are done to your liking. Slice bread loaf into two halves lengthwise and brush cut side with olive oil. Place oil-side down on the grill and grill until toasted, about 5 minutes.

5. Now it's time to assemble your sammy: Spread a generous amount of hummus on one side of the bread. Stack with red peppers, zucchini, and spinach. Drizzle the other side of bread with balsamic vinegar to taste and close that puppy up. Cut into 3 large or several small sandwiches.

These sammies will keep in the fridge for a couple days. While they're most delicious fresh off the grill, they're also perfect to make ahead, wrap in foil and pack along for a camping trip or picnic.