Foodie Fridays - Easy Humus

I submitted this to the paper several weeks ago, and thought I would share it with all of you here!

Feels good to get back to posting on this blog again.  I've missed yall!

Can a snack be good for you? What about a snack that’s a creamy dip for chips and veggies that packs in tons of fiber, protein, iron, antioxidants, and helps regulate blood sugar. Does such a healthy snack really exist? It does and it is super easy to make. I think you all are beginning to see a pattern to my recipes here. What I’m talking about is hummus. If you don’t know what hummus is, it’s a smooth and creamy Middle Eastern dip made with chickpeas beans, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper. That’s pretty much it. You can serve it with pita bread or pita chips, fresh vegetables like carrots, bell pepper, and broccoli, over chicken, or in a sandwich. It is a staple for many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean diets and you can even find it on restaurant menus in our area. The main ingredient is chickpeas which are a protein and fiber rich legume that are a good source of iron, Vitamin E and K. They are also a complex carbohydrate that fills you up without causing your blood sugar to spike and then crash making it a great snack choice for diabetics. The high fiber content is also great for weight loss as fiber rich foods leave you feeling full and satisfied and the protein content helps reduce hunger. Chickpeas also contain isoflavones which are an antioxidant that has been shown in multiple medical studies to help lower bad cholesterol.  Not bad for something the size of a butterbean. A serving size is around a ¼ cup or about 4 tablespoons. Compare that to something like Dean’s French onion dip. A serving size is 2 tablespoons and contains 5 grams of fat while twice the amount of hummus contains only 1 gram of fat. I hope you’ll give it a try, the only special equipment you need is a food processor or blender.  Hope you enjoy!

Basic Hummus

2 - 15 ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed

Zest from one lemon

Juice from one lemon

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh black pepper

2 cloves or 1 teaspoon garlic

⅓ cup olive oil plus 2 tablespoons reserved for garnish

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

In a food processor combine the chickpeas, lemon zest, lemon juice, water, salt, pepper, and garlic. Close food processor and pulse several times until mixture is well combined. With food processor running slowly drizzle in olive oil until hummus is smooth. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula to make sure all the ingredients are well processed. Once the hummus is smooth and creamy spoon into a dish, sprinkle with cumin, paprika, oregano, and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil about a tablespoon or two. Serve with pita bread or pita chips and it is also excellent with fresh vegetables.