Super Simple Hummus
Hummus is one of my daughter's favorite things to eat. It is a bonus that hummus is a great source of protein as Kristin is not a huge fan of eating meat, unless you put like a giant steak in front of her. For the longest time, I just bought it at the store as I figured it might be hard to recreate. I guess the thought of ingredients like tahini (sesame paste) made it sound out of reach. The good news is that you can buy prepared tahini at the store. This hummus recipe is simple to make and Kristin didn't realize until afterwards that it was homemade. Maybe, one of these days, I will try making my own tahini.
...so quick and simple that it doesn't need step by step photos.
Ingredients:
2 cans of chickpeas drained
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
Garlic- the amount varies by preference. I went with 4 (minced)
Olive oil drizzled on top (optional)
After the basic ingredients, you can add other ingredients to gain your preferred style. A typical recipe will tell you to add salt for flavor. I tried to avoid excess salt, if not needed, and instead chose to add red pepper flakes to the actual mix and then sprinkle cayenne pepper on top. Other variations include chopped red bell peppers, lime and cumin, jalepenos, or sundried tomatoes...this is the part where you can put your own spin, flair, and flavor profiles into it. If you are a plan ahead type of person, the Olive Pit has super yummy (yep, I said it) flavored olive oils that can be ordered online.
Preparation:
I'm kind of laughing at myself a little as recipes like this almost need to read like some of the old fashioned cookbooks, that listed what baking pans/equipment you needed. In this case, it is not really a hand mix recipe as you really want to get a smooth texture. Most hummus recipes suggest a food processor. My personal choice is my KitchenAid mixer as it is already on the counter and I like my hummus a little heartier, almost chunky. If you are still old school, a hand held electric mixer would work as well.
Are you ready? Like I said, super easy.
Toss the first 3 ingredients in and blend to the your desired consistency...anywhere from creamy to a little chunky.
Add the amount of minced garlic that achieves your desired taste. For mincing, I prefer my garlic press, as it helps get all of the juices into the flavor.
Drizzle with olive oil on top (or don't) and add those extra flavors, if desired.
Hummus is great served with fresh vegetables, pita bread, or crackers. As the picture above shows, we chose to have it with whole grain toast.
Too easy of a recipe? Well, not all of my recipes are this simple. However, that is part of what people like about my style of cooking. I break it down in a way that anyone can do it.
Enjoy!
