National Hummus Day was May 13th but here at Cuisine for Healing we appreciate hummus every day! What is hummus? A lot of people may know hummus as a popular Mediterranean spread, but it is much more than that. Hummus is a delicious spread or dip made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and spices. Hummus is very versatile. It can be put on wraps, sandwiches, salads, or used to dip your carrots, celery, or cucumbers in. Hummus is made of garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas. They are a white bean that is high in protein and fiber, keeping you satisfied throughout the day. Garbanzo beans are a great source of plant protein for vegans or vegetarians. They contain almost all of the essential amino acids. To get a complete protein all you have to do is pair chickpeas with another protein source, such as whole grains, to make up for the deficit amino acids.
Many studies have been conducted looking at the benefits of garbanzo beans and the correlation to weight loss or weight gain. One study found that those who ate at least one serving of legumes, such as chickpeas, each day lost 25% more weight than those who did not eat legumes. On average we should be consuming 2 to 3 cups of legumes each week. Remember hummus consists of mainly chickpeas so this is an easy way to include legumes in your diet.
The easiest way to make hummus is to combine all of the ingredients into a food processor for a few minutes! If you want your hummus to be fluffy try adding cold water at the end. The water (and extra process time) turns the already pretty smooth mixture into a fluffy, luxurious dip!
At Cuisine for Healing, we love hummus! We offer a Veggie Hummus Wrap with Red Pepper Aioli that is flavorful and delicious. Below we have included our recipe for our homemade hummus that we add to the wrap!
Cuisine for Healing Hummus
- 15 ounces Garbanzo Beans
- 1/8 cup Tahini sauce
- 3 teaspoons Kalamata olives
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
- 3 teaspoon Garlic
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
