Hummus Recipe

Here's a long-promised addition to the recipe section. It's for a rather large batch of hummus. We go through a lot around here, so I've been tinkering with the ingredients and amounts for quite awhile. If it's too much for you, you can freeze half for later. Serve it with pita bread, spread it on sandwiches, or use it as a veggie dip - very versatile, and the beans lower your cholesterol! One other serving option is to drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle crushed red pepper on top before serving it with the pita for dipping. Very good!

1 lb. dried garbanzo beans (soaked overnight)
4 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tbs. tahini
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. sea salt
1 - 1 1/2 cups water

Boil the beans until they are quite soft, changing the water a few times during the process. Drain beans.

In a food processor, put the olive oil, garlic, tahini and lemon juice and blend into a paste.

Add the beans, salt, and lemon juice and pulse until the beans are ground but still slightly chunky.

Add water slowly until you reach the desired consistency - should be smooth and not too thick. My experience is that by the next day, it has thickened a little, so go slightly thinner than you desire if you're serving it the next day.

Taste and adjust lemon and salt if necessary.

There you have it! A great healthy addition to meals or a guilt-free snack. Enjoy!