Vegan Staples: Hummus

What probably was the impetus to my vegan-ism is hummus. I live for it and by it, seriously. Super flavorful and versatile- a spread, dip, sauce, dressing, binder, what doesn't hummus do?!

I get a lot of my non-perishable vegan ingredients from amazon.com, so I get 2 shipments of http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GZU7QQ every month. Yep, I go through at least 24 cans of chickpeas a month. These are organic and salt-free (has some seaweed) and cheaper than you would find at an organic store or even conventional grocery store. I have never had luck with dried chickpeas, but that is for another post.

I would love to give you a hummus recipe. Here is where I suck- I hardly ever follow a recipe. Sometimes my noms are a failure, and sometimes they rock but I can't ever get the same results. It is a terrible system. Here is basically how we make hummus, though measurements could be off. Taste test as you go along. This is kind of from my Jewish father-in-law:

Ingredients:

3 cans of chickpeas. Include the liquid from one can (good idea to get no sodium added) 

2 large or 3 small cloves garlic

1 tsp. ground cumin

Squirt of lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup tahini, Stir well!! (I've always used this kind: http://www.amazon.com/Joyva-Tahini-15-Ounce-Packages-Pack/dp/B001FA1L6Q/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1301273717&sr=8-8 Keep in mind this is NOT raw)

Dash of salt

Optional garnish: olive oil, paprika, cilantro or parsley

Add all ingredients to a food processor and go for it. May have to stir/dislodge occasionally. Hubby likes to process the garlic first to make sure no cloves remain intact. There are a ton of variations on hummus. Sometimes I add Old Bay, because I am ridiculous. Others like to spice it up with different types of peppers. Up to you. 

Again, the ways to serve and use it are endless. I like to eat it with carrots and spinach or pour it over a salad. I usually don't like bready things but will occasionally eat it with pita, homemade pita chips, crackers, or tortilla chips. It is also an ingredient in a quinoa recipe we love to make which I'll do a post about. And with falafel, of course. 

Ah, I think back so fondly on my beginning hummus days. Before we had a food processor, I made it with a blender, a masher, and even a fork, and we finally have it down to a science. A science that is hard to share because I eye-ball it. Enjoy! I will try to take better photos of our next batch.