Hummus Recipes

Whether or not you’re a vegetarian, vegan or even a steak lover, hummus has a place in your meal plans. Hummus (pronounced Hum-ess) is a wonderful, totally vegetarian dip made from pureed chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini (sesame seed paste), olive oil and lemon juice. It is often spiced with garlic and cumin.

Hummus is very nutritious. It’s low in fat, extremely low in saturated fat, has no cholesterol, and is a good source of fiber and protein.

You can even buy hummus already prepared (check the dairy/refrigerated section of your grocery store). But you can save a few pennies and get the satisfaction of whipping up your own hummus with my quick and easy recipe:

Rinse and drain the chickpeas. In a food processor or blender, process chickpeas with garlic, lemon juice and tahini until blended. Add olive oil slowly while processor is running until hummus is thick and smooth. Blend in salt and pepper to taste.

Nutritional value serving (two Tbsp.): 60 calories, 60mg sodium, 2 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and 0 grams of saturated fat.

Combine the chick peas, lemon juice, tahini, onion, garlic, oil, cumin, pepper, and salt in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth, adding the chick pea liquid, as needed, to desired consistency.

Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours before serving to blend the flavors. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Makes 2 cups. From http://www.pcrm.org: A creamy garbanzo spread that can be used as a sandwich filling, or served as a dip with fresh vegetables or wedges of pita bread.

2 garlic cloves
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed butter)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt

Drain beans, reserving liquid. Add to the food processor along with tahini, lemon juice, cumin, and paprika. Process until very smooth: about two minutes. The mixture should be moist and spreadable. If it is too dry, add some of the reserved bean liquid to achieve desired consistency.

1 large onion, minced
1 to 2 cloves minced garlic, to taste (I sometimes use roasted garlic)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cans chick peas, drained and rinsed (or equivalent dry-cooked)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds*
Salt to taste if desired

Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil until the vegetables are soft. Set aside.

In a blender or food processor, puree the chickpeas with the onion and garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce, salt (if used), tahini and sesame seeds. Serve the hummus with fresh or toasted pita and/or as a dip for fresh vegetables.

*Note: Toast them in a teflon pan or in the toaster oven; watch closely as they burn easily and quickly.

All phases. Makes about 2 cups (8 1/4-cup servings. From http://www.pcrm.org/health/recipes: This delicious spread has the look and taste of spreadable cheese and takes only seconds to prepare. Try it on bread and crackers, in casseroles, and as a filling for quesadillas. Look for jars of water-packed roasted red peppers near the pickles and olives in your supermarket. Tahini is available in the ethnic food section of many supermarkets and in natural food stores.

Drain the garbanzo beans, reserving the liquid, and place them in a food processor or blender with the remaining ingredients. Process until very smooth.

Note: If using a blender, you will have to stop it occasionally and push everything down into the blades with a rubber spatula. The mixture should be quite thick, but if it really seems too thick to blend, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved bean liquid.

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Chill.

Steam green beans for 10 minutes in about a cup of water until tender, yet firm. Rinse beans under cold water when done. Meanwhile, place remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor. Add cooked beans. Blend 2 minutes or until creamy. Serve with crackers.

Black Bean Hummus 1

All phases. From www.diet.recipes-to-go.com. Source: American Diabetes Association at http://www.diabetes.org.

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.

All Phases. Eight servings. From http://vegetarian.allrecipes.com: This is the absolute best hummus I have ever had. It goes great with some toasted pita bread. Add more lemon juice if this hummus tastes like it needs a little extra kick.

A refreshing change from the same old hummus, this one features black beans, tart olives, and a spicy little bite from cayenne pepper.

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans (drain and reserve liquid) (can also use garbanzo beans)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar or lime juice)
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
10 Greek olives (for garnish)

Mince garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Add black beans, 2 tablespoons reserved bean liquid, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, tahini, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper; process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Add additional seasoning and liquid (bean or lemon juice) to taste. Garnish with paprika and Greek olives.

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained
2 Tbsp. tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/ tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Serve with pita bread and /or crackers.

Put all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Optional: Stir in some freshly chopped parsley or cilantro.

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, process again briefly.