Hummus

Our family loves hummus. It is healthy, easy to whip up in a hurry, and the ingredients are ones I usually keep on hand.

If you have never heard of tahini paste before, it can be found in most grocery stores near the peanut butter. It is a little bit pricey but the bottle lasts a long time so it is still more economical than buying hummus pre-made. (And tastier, too!)

I found the base for this recipe on allrecipes.com and made changes according to the reader reviews and my families tastes. I like to add in roasted red peppers or sun dried tomatoes to change it up a little sometimes.

Marie

2 cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas) drained, but reserve juice

1/3 cup (maybe a little less) tahini paste

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 Tbs olive oil

1 pinch paprika

1 tsp fresh minced parsley (I have used a little bit of dried parsley)

1/2 tsp cumin

red pepper flaks or Cayenne pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in blender adding in reserved bean juice until desired consistency. Transfer to serving bowl. If desired, sprinkle additional parsley and paprika on top.

Serve with bell peppers, pita chips, etc for dipping. I like to slice up a baguette, brush with olive oil and garlic and toast in a 425 degree oven for 4-8 minutes.