Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Beans, beans the wonderful fruit...

I LOVE chickpeas!  




Mostly for their texture and flavor but also for their health benefits!  Being high in fiber, they help manage blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and keep you feeling fuller, longer.  They contain high amounts of folic acid to repair DNA and produce healthy red blood cells. They contain minerals such as zinc, copper, magnesium and iron which are essential to the body's functioning. And as a low-fat, high-protein powerhouse they pack a huge energy punch!


Let's get back to that flavor thing I mentioned! I love chic peas so much I will often just open a can and eat them right out of my hand.  Just toss em back! Soooo yum!! Which makes it a bit of a mystery to me as to why I am posting my least favorite chic pea recipe.  I have made the world's - well, MY world's - most comforting and delicious soup with a chic pea base, and the most healing, indulgent, garlicky warm bean dip using... yes, you guessed it... chic peas, but for some reason I got a wild - must have been grey - hair to make hummus and post it for you! 


I do enjoy a good hummus aa great way to eat veggies and feel like I ate something a bit more substantial.  However, a good hummus to me requires that the chic peas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic don't stand alone, but instead, team up with some other flavors that give the hummus a little more... drama.  I need it to be a little unexpected...a little bit more creative and bold.  So, here's to healthy, unexpected and somewhat dramatic eating.


Been called Drama Queen before? Well, make the title stick! Below I have given you a base for hummus with which you can create some dramatic flavor!   Make a simple batch from the recipe below and then create a wild blend of flavors that you can toss in! For example, I am a huge fan of MUCH roasted (in a skillet containing a bit of olive oil - til a bit crunchy) garlic with almost equal amounts of rosemary.  Another favorite is sun-dried tomatoes, Kalamata olives, basil and pine nuts.  At the bottom of this blog there are many other ideas for add-ins! Find your favorites and get.... dramatic!!  


Ingredients
1 can garbanzo (chickpeas), partially drained
3 TBS lemon juice
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup sesame seeds (or tahini paste)
1 tsp salt
olive oil 
additional add-ins


Place first 5 ingredients in a food processor.






Process until smooth and creamy... 




...or creamy with texture - whichever way you prefer.  


Place in a serving bowl.  Take two swirls around the bowl with the olive oil - lightly.


Use veggies, pita bread or pita chips to dip. 


Super easy!!! And by using organic, you can be sure you are avoiding any preservatives such as EDTA found in most canned beans! 


Additional Add-Ins




Some additional flavors: chopped olives, sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, basil, oregano, rosemary or thyme, roasted garlic, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts.... the ideas are limited only by your creativity!  Maybe a little goat cheese sprinkled over the top?  Mmmmm... Kale chips? Pepitas, hemp hearts, or flax seed?  I don't know - just throwin it out there! ;0)  Let me know what you try!!





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