Chicken Run Veggie Tray (Printable version)

A vibrant vegetable platter paired with a creamy ranch hummus dip, ideal for fresh, healthy snacking occasions.

# What you need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup baby carrots
02 - 1 cup cucumber sticks
03 - 1 cup red bell pepper strips
04 - 1 cup yellow bell pepper strips
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes
06 - 1 cup sugar snap peas
07 - 1/2 cup black olives, pitted

→ Ranch Hummus Dip

08 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
09 - 1/4 cup tahini
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
12 - 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
13 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
17 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
18 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
19 - 2 to 4 tablespoons cold water

# How to Make It:

01 - Wash and cut all vegetables into sticks or strips. Arrange them on a large platter in playful shapes resembling chickens or creative designs, using black olives for eyes and decorative accents.
02 - Combine drained chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley, dried chives, salt, and black pepper in a food processor.
03 - Blend until smooth, gradually adding cold water by tablespoon until the hummus reaches a creamy, dippable texture.
04 - Transfer the prepared hummus to a small bowl and position it in the center of the vegetable tray.
05 - Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Kids will actually eat vegetables when they're arranged like characters from their favorite movie instead of just sitting there being boring.
  • The ranch hummus tastes indulgent but sneaks in chickpeas and real nutrition, so you feel good serving it.
  • Zero cooking required means you can pull this together in the time it takes to preheat an oven for something else.
02 -
  • Drain and rinse your canned chickpeas thoroughly, because the liquid they come in makes hummus gluey instead of creamy.
  • Cold water really does make a difference in the final texture, so don't use room temperature or you'll end up with something that separates in the bowl.
03 -
  • Arrange vegetables in concentric circles radiating from the center bowl so every angle of the platter looks intentional and Instagram-worthy.
  • Make the hummus while vegetables are chilling so it has time to firm up slightly, resulting in a dip that clings to sticks instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
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