Hummus among us

I've read around for quite a while about something called Hummus. It sounds strange by name and looks pretty nondescript by itself. I'm not a huge fan of whole Chick Peas, but I wanted to give this a shot. After all, some of my favorite things I've tried were after taking a leap on a new idea. Lots of people wrinkle their nose at the idea, but have never tried Hummus, kinda like we were when we were kids. Broccoli? EWWWW!

I consulted a few folks that have had, or make their own Hummus for some ideas, did some searching and found a very good base that I cobbled together. This can be adjusted to your liking, but even this base is good by itself.

The ingredients! I have some Lemon juice (fresh lemons are better, but this was in the fridge and worked fine), Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans), Salt, Pepper, Tahini (Sesame Seed paste), Olive Oil, Cumin, Garlic.

Hummus is about a nice balance. Each part helps compliment or balance with another ingredient. Drain the Chick Peas and put them into a blender or food processor, add in 2 heaping Tbsp of Tahini, 2 Tsp Olive Oil, 1/4 Tsp Pepper, 1/4 Tsp Cumin, 2 cloves Garlic, 1/4 cup Lemon juice (or 2 small juiced Lemons) and 1/4 Tsp Salt.

You will need to stop the blender or processor frequently to scrape down the sides and get the Chick Peas down into the blades to get this smooth. You will need to add some water, or more Lemon juice to help keep the process going. Use a little at a time to ensure your Hummus isn't watery.

I like to add in more Lemon juice than water as this works together, as I like a bit more of a sour tang to the dip. Also, as the dip is processing you can decide if you like a little more smoothness by adding more Olive Oil. It's a good oil for you, but I wouldn't go TOO nuts with it. Put in a little at a time like the water till you get to the consistency you want.

The dip looks pretty plain here, but I guarantee it's tasty! Packed with protein, fiber, and other nutrients just in the Chick Peas, this is a great dip to fill you up and keep you full for quite a while! You can sprinkle the dip with some Paprika, red peppers, Cayenne pepper, whatever you'd like to dress it up!

Now remember, this is a base dip. I've added more garlic, Cayenne pepper, whatever you'd like to the dip to adjust it to your tastes! I'm looking forward to finding some sun-dried Tomatoes to add into my next batch. This is traditionally eaten with Pita chips, but I've found Carrots and tortilla chips work great. Pretty much whatever you'd want to eat on a veggie or chip as a dip will work!


1 16oz can Chick Peas
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Pepper
1/4 cup Lemon juice
2 Tsp Olive Oil
1/4 Tsp Cumin
2 Tbsp Tahini
2 chopped cloves Garlic
Water as needed

Add all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend and scrape down sides. Add Water or Lemon juice as needed to help blend or for taste.