Mmm Mmm Hummus!

How could something so creamy delicious also be pretty healthy for you? That's what I wondered to myself as I dipped my celery stick into the mound of garbanzo bean delightfulness I whipped up the other day. Garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas, have been called the "fiber all star" because they are rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber. Basically, this means this stuff is good for you. This recipe is easy as pie (or as hummus, in this case), and comes from my How To Cook Everything cookbook by Mark Bittman. The nice thing about hummus is, you can alter the amounts of ingredients any which way you'd like depending on your own personal taste. And don't think hummus is only for eating with veggie sticks either. How about spreading some on a warm tortilla and rolling it up? Or, stirring a tablespoonful into some hot pasta and sprinkling Parmesan cheese on top? See how versatile hummus is? Enjoy!

Hummus recipe:
2 cups canned chickpeas, well drained
1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 cup sesame oil or olive oil
1 small clove garlic, peeled (I used 1 teaspoonful of garlic powder)
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon ground cumin, or to taste
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more as needed
About 1/3 cup water or as needed
1 teaspoon olive oil, approximately

1. Place everything except water and 1 teaspoon olive oil in container of a food processor and begin to process; add water as needed to make a smooth puree.
2. Taste and add more garlic, salt, lemon juice, or cumin as needed. Serve, drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of cumin.
3. Eat joyfully!