Easy Traditional Hummus

For me, hummus is the perfect food. Honestly, I could probably eat it three times a day and not grow tired of it. But since I'm not willing to try that theory out in fear that I may be wrong, I'll stick to enjoying it on occasion.

One of my favorite ways to eat hummus is as a sandwich spread. I'll take a slice of whole wheat bread, give it a smear of hummus and top it will some grated carrot, freshly sprouted lentils, and give it an extra drizzle of olive oil. Easy, delicious, healthy, and vegan. 

Now if your only experience with hummus is the store bought stuff- it's time to branch out and make it yourself. Not only does it taste so much better, it is so easy that there is no reason not to give it a try!

In keeping with the "easy" I've used this recipe with canned chic peas. If you're like me and you really don't like using canned beans, use dried beans that have been soaked and cooked. Reserve a little bit of the cooking water for thinning your hummus as needed.  

Easy Traditional Hummus

((Printable Version))


Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) can chick peas, drained, liquid reserved (or dried beans, cooked) 

3 to 4 tablespoons reserved liquid

3 to 5 tablespoons lemon juice*

1 1/2 tablespoons tahini

2 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. In a food processor, give the garlic a whirl until it's chopped finely.  Add the chick peas, a little of the reserved liquid (not all), and remaining ingredients.  Process until smooth. Add more bean liquid to thin as needed.

2. Chill.

*I prefer a lot of lemon juice in my hummus.  Some like it heavier on the tahini.  Add more of whichever to suit your taste.

Serve with whole wheat pita wedges, homemade crackers, or fresh cut veggies. 

The Best Guacamole. Ever.

I grew up thinking avocados were terrible things. They were green, they were mushy, and they were full of fat. Luckily for me I am older and wiser now.

With the super bowl coming up I thought this AMAZING guacamole deserved a blog post all to itself. (You can find its first appearance here.)

Now the funny thing about the Superbowl.... I hate football.
Now what's the other funny thing? The word "football" has been the #1 keyword that has brought people to this blog. Weird, I know.  Last year I wrote a blog post about how I spent the Superbowl.  Who knew that one image of a football could generate traffic to a food blog.

The thing that I love about guacamole is that it is very forgiving. Add as much or as little of any of the ingredients as you like. Make it chunky or make it smooth. When I go to parties, I chop the Serrano peppers, white onion, tomatoes, and cilantro at home and mix them in a bowl. When I arrive, I cut my avocados fresh and mash them. I then stir in my tomato mixture, add lime juice, and pink Himalayan sea salt to taste. That way, your guests get truly FRESH guacamole prepared right in front of them.

Guacamole
(Recipe from Young Adventures via Rick Bayless)
((Printable Version))

Ingredients:
2 serrano peppers, seeded and diced
1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped
2 ripe plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
3 avocados
Juice of one or two limes
salt to taste

Directions:
1. Mix all.

2. Devour.

3. Enjoy.

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Amee's Savory Dish, Midnight Maniac, Katherine Martinelli