Hummus is a delight I discovered just a few years ago, and it’s become one of my favorite “healthy” snacks.  After trying a few commercial brands,  a friend told me it was super-easy to make it fresh, and suggested that I might have most of the ingredients at home.  Had to go to the store for chickpeas and tahini, but once all the ingredients were assembled, I gave it a go.  YUM. Seriously.  I usually enjoy it with toasted pita bread, low salt tortilla chips, or as a dip for veggies, but it also makes a tasty salad dressing if you add a little water or olive oil to thin it out.

INGREDIENTS
1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas with liquid
1/4 cup tahini, stirred well
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt

Optional Garnishes
paprika
sesame seeds
chopped fresh parsley

TOOLS
can opener
small (1.5 quart) mixing bowl
strainer, or colander
food processor
measuring cups and spoons

METHOD
1. Place strainer over bowl. Pour chickpeas into strainer to catch chickpea liquid in bowl. Set liquid aside.
2. Pour drained chickpeas into food processor.
3. Add tahini, sliced garlic, oil, lemon juice, and cumin.
4. Add 5-6 tablespoons reserved chickpea liquid, and pulse.  If the hummus doesn’t appear creamy enough, add more liquid, a teaspoon at a time until the hummus reaches the desired consistency.
5. Add kosher salt and additional lemon juice to taste, and mix well.
6. Add garnishes if desired, before serving.

NOTES & TIPS
• Tahini is sesame seed paste, which is found in most major supermarkets, often in the international foods aisle.
• Stirring the tahini is an important step. Like most natural nut butters, tahini separates so you’ll want to make sure it’s well-stirred before adding to chickpeas.

READY IN
15 minutes

YIELD
4 servings