This yummy Middle Eastern spread is generally made up of chickpeas, tahini (ground sesame seed paste), lemon juice and garlic, but much more can be added to enhance your hummus experience. With so many different flavors bursting at the seams, leave it to me to answer any lingering questions.
With a consistency as smooth as David Beckham and a taste as flavorful as pizza, hummus can come off as one shallow food. The truth about this tasty spread is that it’s more than just a pretty face.
In fact, if you’re taking in a 2,000-calorie diet, hummus is packed with more than half of your recommended daily intake value of fiber and more than a third of your recommended protein. Although it does contain a decent amount of fat and calories, when compared to other condiments and spreads, it’s more nutritionally dense and will satisfy you longer.
Besides tasting great and having excellent health benefits, hummus can accommodate most people with special dietary requirements. For example, people who are gluten sensitive can eat most types of hummus (but not all). Vegetarians love hummus because it has just as much flavor as meat and gives them the protein and even the iron they miss out on. Hummus is also kosher, which works well for my fellow Jews and goes nicely with some falafel. It can even assist with constipation due to its high amounts of fiber. I am dubbing this the new best friend spread because it is so useful.
Whether I buy it or make it myself, I eat hummus on a regular basis. My favorite types are roasted red pepper and sun dried tomato hummus (which can even be found at Campus Market and other varieties at The Sandwich Factory and The Avenue).
Trader Joes makes an awesome hummus quartet pack and Petra serves up plenty of delicious hummus daily. Even Costco has come out with new portable hummus packs that you can take on the go. They taste great and they are reasonably priced.
When my creative juices start flowing, I turn to a simple recipe which can be found on the Web site www.buythebullet.com. It is called hallelujah hummus and it is a recipe that the as-seen-on-TV ‘Magic Bullet’ blender can make. Even if you are like me and do not have this particular appliance, using a regular blender or food processor will work just fine.
This is a basic recipe for hummus and I encourage you to add your favorite herbs spices, and juices to see what you can come up with. It can be heavy on the garlic so beware of that and if you do not have access to chicken or vegetable stock, adding more olive oil works fine.
Lightly toasted pita or naan bread is an excellent partner for your homemade or store bought hummus. Vegetables such as carrots and broccoli also taste great dipped in hummus and add to its nutritious nature.
All in all, hummus is a tasty, healthy and accommodating food that is loved by people and hated by other spreads. I eat it, my friends and family eat it and I suggest you eat it, too, if you do not already. With so many varieties and with so much nutritional value, I can’t help but ask one question: Have you had your hummus today?