Let's Talk About Hummus!

May 13th is National Hummus Day! This day presents a great opportunity to enjoy the popular

spread which has remained a staple of Mediterranean cuisine since its creation in the Ancient Middle East during the 13th century[1]. Hummus contains chickpeas which are an excellent source of fiber, calcium and potassium[2] and garlic which has been shown to have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties[3]. Traditional hummus is made of simple ingredients including chickpeas, tahini, fresh lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, cumin and salt. However, in recent years several new, unique flavors have become available in grocery stores such as eggplant hummus, red pepper hummus, cilantro and jalapeno hummus and even chocolate hummus for dessert lovers. There are a multitude of different combinations and manners in which hummus can be served for meals and snacks, but here are just a few available options:

1. Start your day the ‘hummus way’ with hummus toast topped with fresh vegetables (cucumber, tomato, sprouts) with a side of fresh blueberries, nuts and dried fruit for breakfast.

2. Add in a some extra fiber with a veggie tray full of snap peas, sweet peppers, dehydrated carrot chips and a trio of hummus flavors (eggplant, red pepper and garlic). For variety try to include a small handful of nuts, fresh fruit, and a couple slices of cheese.

3. Add hummus to sandwiches as a spread or simply as a savory snack added to chips, fresh veggies, or crackers!

Please enjoy this simple recipe below to make your own!

Original Recipe from thekitchn by Emma Christensen

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 tablespoons tahini

• ¼ cup lemon juice (from 1 ½ to 2 lemons), more to taste

• 1 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• Serving options: pita wedges, pita chips, raw sliced vegetables

Instructions

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Drain the chickpeas into a strainer. If you have the time and patience, pinch the skins from each of the chickpeas; this will make your hummus smoother.

2. Combine all ingredients in the food processor. Combine the chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment or blender.

3. Blend hummus until smooth, at least 5 minutes. Process the hummus continuously until it becomes very smooth, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to integrate any large chunks. If you hummus is thicker than you'd like drizzle 1 TBSP water at a time until reach the consistency you'd like (about 2-3 TBSP).

4. Taste and adjust seasonings. Taste and add more of any of the ingredients to taste.

5. Transfer to a bowl and serve. Scrape the hummus into a bowl and serve with pita chips or raw vegetables.

By Erin Hainey and Kristie Tovar MS, RDN, CEDRD

Sources:

1. Wallace, T. C., Murray, R., & Zelman, K. M. (2016). The Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Chickpeas and Hummus. Nutrients, 8(12), 766. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8120766

2. Spechler, D. (2017, December 12). Travel - who invented hummus? Retrieved April 18, 2021, from http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20171211-who-invented-hummus

3. Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans). (2019, October 28). Retrieved April 18, 2021, from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/chickpeas-garbanzo-beans/

4. Ansary, J., Forbes-Hernández, T. Y., Gil, E., Cianciosi, D., Zhang, J., Elexpuru-Zabaleta, M., Simal-Gandara, J., Giampieri, F., & Battino, M. (2020). Potential Health Benefit of Garlic Based on Human Intervention Studies: A Brief Overview. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 9(7), 619. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9070619