Post Title.

Hummus

Hummus is a Middle Eastern dip made from chickpeas aka garbanzo beans and tahini, which is a sesame seed paste. Not everyone is a big fan of hummus, but my husband and I love it. Like many other Middle Eastern flavors hummus is an acquired taste. It is versatile because it can be used as a dip, or spread and it is also quite filling.  As a dip it can be paired with crackers, sugar snap peas, carrots, celery, cucumbers, red, yellow or orange peppers etc. I also like to put it on sandwiches and in wraps.   Hummus is a staple in our house and I like making it instead of buying it because I know exactly what's in it.  

Ingredients:

• 4 cups or 32 ounces of chickpeas, drained
• 2/3 cup tahini
• 1/8 - 1/4 cup lemon juice. (I prefer less)
• 2 tsp minced fresh parsley and a small sprig for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil (or more for smoother texture)
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of paprika

Directions:

1. Combine all of the ingredients, except for the paprika, in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  
   
2. Finish with a few pinches of paprika and garnish with parsley.

Note: You may need to adjust the olive oil depending on the consistency that you are looking for.  I am rather picky about texture. Sometimes I like a slightly thicker hummus, so I find that the measurements above work well for me. However, there are times when I want my hummus more spreadable, so I increase the oil and add a little bit of water until it is the consistency that I need.

Bon appetit!