Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Dip with Crudités

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the 3 red bell peppers in half, remove stems, seeds, and membranes. Place them cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet.

Peel the 3 garlic cloves and wrap them in a small piece of aluminum foil with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Place on the baking sheet with the peppers.

Roast the peppers and garlic for 25-30 minutes until the pepper skins are charred and blistered.

While the peppers are roasting, toast the 1 cup of walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Set aside to cool.

Transfer the roasted peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes to steam (this helps with skin removal).

Peel the skins off the peppers (they should slip off easily) and place the peeled peppers in a food processor.

Add the roasted garlic, toasted walnuts, 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the food processor.

Process until smooth but still maintaining some texture, about 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.

Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

While the dip is chilling, prepare the crudités: wash and peel 4 carrots, then cut into sticks. Slice 1 cucumber into rounds. Cut 4 celery stalks into sticks. Trim and halve 8 radishes. Wash 1 cup of cherry tomatoes.

Cut the 2 whole grain pita breads into triangles.

Before serving, drizzle the dip with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley.

Arrange the prepared vegetables and pita triangles around the dip on a serving platter.