Mmmm…Hummus three ways!
by Chef Owen May and Dr. Michelle May
Remember that line from an old shampoo commercial: “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful”? That’s kind of how I feel when I tell people that I’m married to a professional chef. Don’t hate me; I know I’m lucky! I love to cook too so cooking is a “get to,” not a “have to” – whenever I have time! This weekend we played around in the kitchen with one of my favorite easy recipes, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (it’s in Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: A Mindful Eating Program to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat Cycle).
Chef Notes
Hummus is often made with tahini – sesame seed paste. If you can’t find it, you can use olive oil instead.
Health Notes
This is a simple, versatile, nutritious, delicious recipe and it’s fun to come up with your own variations. Hummus is great as a snacks or appetizers served with pita chips and/or fresh veggies or spread on a sandwich, panini, flatbread, or wrap. You can make it ahead and keep it on hand for “fast food.” Try one or two of our suggestions and share your own creations in the comments section!
Ingredients
Basic Hummus
2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup tahini paste
1/2 teaspoon honey
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup reserved liquid from beans
Olive oil (if needed to achieve desired consistency)
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
Jalapeno Lime Hummus
1/2 batch of Basic Hummus
2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/2 to 1 jalapeno with seeds removed
Small handful of fresh cilantro leaves stripped from stems
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
1/2 batch of Basic Hummus
2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
3 ounces roasted peppers (add a little of the juice if additional moisture needed)
½ teaspoon hot sauce (or more to taste)
Lemon Pesto Hummus
1/2 batch of Basic Hummus
1 tablespoon basil pesto (homemade or store bought)
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Baked Pita Chips
4 6-inch pita pockets
Vegetable spray
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Save the liquid from one can.
- Place the first five ingredients into a food processor and process until a coarse paste has formed. While the food processor is running, drizzle in the reserved liquid from the beans; add olive oil until the desired consistency is reached.
- Divide the batch in half and add the following ingredients to the food processor to make variations.
Baked Pita Chips
- Open each pita pocket and separate the sides.
- Cut each of the 8 pita halves into 8 wedges and arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
- Spray lightly with vegetable spray and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake at 350°F until crisp and golden brown (watch closely!)
Jalapeno Lime Hummus
Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips, or fresh veggies. Also great in a Southwestern wrap.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Serve with pita chips and fresh veggies.
Lemon Pesto Hummus
Serve with pita chips or fresh veggies or in a panini with mozzarella cheese and fresh tomato slices.
Your journey is unique so we provide options to explore mindful eating in a way that meets your needs.