I make this hummus all the time. It’s inexpensive, high in fiber, packed with protein and delicious! It’s also easy to change it up with other flavors such as olives, roasted red pepper or artichokes. In fact, in one of my recent magazines, it was listed as one of the ten best foods you could eat. (For the life of me, I can’t find the magazine, but as soon as I do, I’ll post it!). This from About.com: “Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are the main ingredient in hummus. One cup of chickpeas contains 286 calories and 5 grams of fat. This is relatively low considering when made into hummus, the calories and fat become much lower per serving. Chickpeas have no saturated fat, and no cholesterol. They aid in improving blood sugar levels and help fight cholesterol. They are also high in protein, making them a perfect addition to a vegetarian’s diet or one who would like to cut back on red meat.” Also… ” Tahini [ingredient in hummus], like chickpeas, is a great source of protein, and calcium. The fat contained in tahini is mainly unsaturated fat, rather than the more unhealthy saturated fat.”
So dig in!
INGREDIENTS
1 15-16oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1/4 C Tahini (sesame seed paste)
3 Tbs water
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbs chopped parsley (I tend to leave this out)
DIRECTIONS
In a food processor combine garbanzo beans, tahini, water, lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper. Cover and process until smooth. Transfer to medium bowl, stir in parsley. Makes 1 3/4 C
Pita Chips: Cut pita bread in half, then cut each half into 4-5 wedges -peel apart so they are one layer. Place on a cookie sheet, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt and dried basil. For a variation, use a flavored olive oil, or one with the herbs already in it to cut back on prep time. Bake 4-5 mins at 400. They are delicious right out of the oven with a bit of hummus! (Check out this post for instructions and full recipe.)
Recipe source: Sonoma Diet Cookbook
