Manic Monday Meals

Manic Monday Meals

I’m not sure what your pantry looks like, but next week I’ll be posting some staples and some suggestions for items you should keep on hand. One dish I like to be able to make at a moment’s notice is Hummus. The ingredients are cheap, nutritious, and don’t take up much pantry room. Once the Hummus is whipped up, you can pair it with chips, pitas, veggies, crackers, and sandwiches. It’s a great protein alternative, high in fiber, and let’s face it, Hummus is downright delicious! I usually use canned chick peas because they don’t require any prep time, but you are more than welcome to make them from dried beans. You can either use the liquid retained from the cans of chick peas or Olive Oil. The liquid will add sodium to your finished product while the Olive Oil will add fat, but the good kind. Also, most people don’t have tahini on hand, which isn’t an issue if you have natural peanut butter around. Just be sure you’re using peanut butter without added sugar. I know some people prefer more tahini, up to a 1/3 of a cup, but I really only use a little for texture and not for flavor. I love to load my hummus up with black pepper and cumin, or give it a couple dozen healthy shakes of Frank’s Red Hot. After you make it a few times, you’ll figure out how much garlic you like and whether you prefer olive oil or the reserved liquid. I like olive oil. Here goes!

Hummus

2-15 oz Cans of Chick Peas (liquid drained and reserved if you’re going to use it.)
2-4 Cloves of Garlic
4 TBSP Tahini or Natural Peanut Butter
4 TBSP Lemon Juice
Olive Oil or Chick Pea Liquid
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mince up the GARLIC and add it to the bowl of a food processor along with the LEMON JUICE. Whiz it up for just a couple seconds and start adding the CHICK PEAS and pulse after each addition to break them up. Once all the CHICK PEAS are added, toss in the TAHINI or PEANUT BUTTER, SALT and PEPPER, and a little of the OLIVE OIL or LIQUID. Turn the processor on low and open the hopper (is that what you call that thing?) Slowly add liquid until the hummus reaches the consistency you want. I like mine with a little more texture, but you may like yours super smooth.

To serve, scoop it out into a bowl, drizzle some Olive Oil on top and give it a sprinkle of fresh cracked pepper, paprika, or cayenne. Eat it and attempt not to hork down the entire bowl before the rest of the family comes to the table. Fail. Make another batch and serve.

I like to serve mine with mini pitas, left over roasted chicken, carrots, celery, marinated olives, and chunks of fresh feta. Now that my mouth is watering, I’ll leave you to make your hummus while I go grab a spoon. You’re inviting me over, right?

Thanks for reading,

Sara