last updated on October 29, 2026

My friends and I like to play a game we call “over/under”. To play, you shout something out, anything at all, and everyone votes whether they think it is overrated or underrated, and provides an explanation if desired. It’s a great game and can lead to heated arguments, but it’s always a good time. Here are some examples:

Ladder golf? Under.

Roller skating? Under.

3-D movies? Over.

Stranger Things? Neither. Its right where it needs to be.

Kanye West? In his opinion: Under.

Sporks? Under.

Frozen? Over.

Squash? Under.

Taylor Swift? Over.

Muhammara? UNDER.

Muhammara is delicious. If you’ve never had it before, its a roasted red pepper and walnut spread that is eaten in the Middle East. Its tangy, nutty flavor is hard to beat. It goes well with anything you would eat hummus on – vegetables, crackers, bread, etc. The other day for breakfast I toasted a piece of multi-grain bread and topped it with a heaping scoop of muhammara, sautéed zoodles, and avocado. Yum yum yum. Its a versatile spread and is easy to make.

Muhammara is made with roasted red peppers, which can be bought pre-roasted in a bottle or roasted yourself. I always roast them myself, but both work great. To roast your own red peppers, you slice them into half-inch strips, toss them with a bit of olive oil, and bake them at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes. The skins can then be peeled off, but if they don’t come off easily, don’t worry.

This recipe also calls for sun-dried tomatoes, which give the spread a slightly sweet taste. It is unreal! Underrated for sure.

MUHAMMARA

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 roasted red peppers
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, oil drained
• 2 tbsp olive oil (oil from tomatoes works fine)
• 1-2 tbsp water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor or blender, combine roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup walnuts. Pulse until smooth. Stir in remaining walnuts.

ENJOY

Adapted from: Half-Baked Harvest