Food Friday: Hummus

I love hummus. It's one of those foods that when I make it, there's a very slim chance that it will survive to see another day. It's also super easy to make. 7 minutes with a food processor and you can be enjoying your own bowl of hummus. I'll eat it spread on a wheat tortilla, with chips or crackers, scooped up on veggies, or in a sandwich.

A little nutritonal information:  Hummus is high in iron and vitamin C, and also has significant amounts of folate and vitamin B6. The chickpeas make it a good source of protein and dietary fiber; the tahini consists mostly of sesame seeds, which are an excellent source of the amino acid methionine, complementing the proteins in the chickpeas.

There are several varities of hummus that you can purchase in the store, but I prefer to make my own. Here is my favorite recipe.

Hummus recipe

1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Garnish with paprika or cayenne pepper.