Homemade Hummus

I love hummus and I love being able to make it cheaply whenever I want, instead of spending a lot of money for a very small container of it. Plus, I needed to use up some of those Chickpeas in my cupboards before we moved.

Hummus

• 1 Can Chickpeas (aka Garbanzo Beans) (Reserve a 1/4 C liquid from can)
• 1 T Tahini (Sesame Seed Paste)
• 2 Cloves of Garlic (Minced) - I use 3 or 4 cloves.
• 1/2 t Salt
• Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
• 2 T Olive Oil

This is quick and easy to make if you have a food processor (just put it all in and blend- save the olive oil until the very end). But, I don't have a food processor, or a blender, so it takes a bit of arm strength. I find a potato masher works really well to mash up the chickpeas, use a little of the liquid you reserved as needed for a creamier consistency. Add tahini (I find the tahini in the cultural food isle, it's a bit expensive, but it lasts for a very long time and I can get numerous batches of hummus out of one container). Add garlic, lemon juice and mix all together. Add the olive oil last. The texture is a little smoother if you have a food processor, but it tastes just as good without one.
I really like it with pita bread and grilled chicken, but I've also used it as a spread on sandwiches and burgers. Tasty!

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

We are moving, and with the joy of moving comes trying to figure out what to do with all the stuff in the cupboards. Pack it up into our small moving space or try to eat as much of it as we can; it looks like we're doing a mix. A few weeks prior to moving I sat in front of the cupboard, pen and paper in hand, and tried to figure out what tasty meals I could make using mostly what I had on hand, and having to buy very little, so the next month or so of posts is some of what I came up with.

Ever since I started making hummus, I have a stock pile of garbanzo beans. I buy the bulk box once or twice a year from the warehouse store, which satisfies my hummus fix, but now I don't want to have to box up and travel with this many beans, and although I love hummus, I can't eat it everyday, so I tried out this recipe. I got the idea for this recipe here, and then made a few of my own changes with what I had in the cupboard.

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

• 1 Can Garbanzo Beans
• 2 T Olive Oil
• 3-4 Garlic Cloves (grating it works really well)
• 1/2 T Cumin
• 1/8 T Chili Powder
• Dash of Salt
• Parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour olive oil in a pan, mix in garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Toss in drained garbanzo beans. Bake about 30 minutes (it creates a nice aroma in the house). Garnish with parsley once cooked.
Pretty simple and pretty tasty. Next time I'd like to try it with the feta, I love feta!