Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Recipe: Garlic Hummus

I put the family on a diet recently because the hubby and I need to lose quite a few pounds and it never hurts to teach kids good eating habits. That being said, we've all come to the realization that we're snackers. We like to munch idly while doing homework, reading watching TV, etc. So my goal was to not necessarily eliminate snacking but to snack healthier.

My friend Patti suggested we try her hummus recipe. I'd had hummus before and I like it so at 35 calories per two tablespoon serving, I decided to give it a try. Use it with pita chips or with baby carrots for a great afternoon snack.

Hubby rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Kid rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Mom rating: 4 out of 5 stars

So here's what you need:

2 cans of drained chick peas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans)
~reserve some of the chick pea liquid
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
green olive juice (optional)

After you drain the chick peas (saving some of the liquid for later), empty both cans into your blender or food processor. Add tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse the blender until it starts to get smooth and creamy. If the dip is too thick, add a little of the chick pea liquid until the dip blends smoothly in the blender.

Note: the first time I made this, I happened to have some green olive juice on hand and used it in place of the chick pea liquid. It gave it a nice salty, tangy flavor and I really liked it a lot. If you have it on hand, give it a try.
Top with a drizzle of olive oil and some paprika to dress it up for a party!

Hummus is so yummy and easy to make and there are so many things you can do to change it up. Try adding sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red bell peppers, roasted pine nuts or fresh herbs to give it a different flavor every time!

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