Hummus! :)

Hummus!!

Hummus is a wonderful thing to have in your fridge. It's a great appetizer for parties and can make a delicious, healthy meal. Sometimes I keep it in the fridge and use it as a condiment to add flavor to wraps, salads, and sandwiches. MMMmmmm.... enjoy! :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas (usually found in the bulk section)
• Water
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp tahini (sesame paste, usually found in the Asian food section)
• Sea salt, to taste
• Ground cumin, to taste (usually 1-2 tsps)
  

To prepare chickpeas:
Soak chickpeas overnight (make sure they have enough water, they will expand to three times their original size). Drain water and with fresh water cover chickpeas in a pot and bring to boil. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes - 1 hour, until beans are soft. Drain.

To prepare hummus:
In a blender or food processor combine chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and tahini and blend until ingredients come together into a thick paste. With the food processor/blender running, add a little water, about half a tablespoon at a time, until the hummus becomes smooth and creamy. Add sea salt and cumin, to taste. Sprinkle with cumin or green onions for garnish.

Enjoy with your favorite veggies or pita bread.

Get creative:
Use this recipe as a base to create all different kinds of hummus. Some of my favorite ingredients to add are:

• Tomatoes and basil
• Jalapeño
• Roasted red peppers and/or roasted eggplant
• Sun dried tomatoes
• Olives
• Cayenne pepper
• Herbs
  

***To make a raw, bean-free version of this recipe substitute in yellow summer squash (seeds discarded) instead of the beans. It's delicious and you can't even tell the difference.