Scratch Hummus

There's not enough time in the day to make everything from scratch which is why I tend to buy things like crackers, butter, nut butters, jelly and gluten-free breads from the store. But when it comes to simple foods that are better when homemade, and take the same amount of time to prepare as it would to schlep to the store, I prefer to make it.

Homemade mayonnaise will blow away the store-bought stuff, as will roasted salsa, pesto using basil from the garden and hummus.

I recently attended a gathering of friends where we all brought something to eat. Not wanting to be the bearer of another sugary dessert, I decided to make hummus with a plentiful assortment of raw vegetables (which we all need to eat more of).

Not surprisingly, the hostess had the same idea which made for double hummus (and raw vegetables). But herein lies the difference. Using a can of organic chickpeas tucked away in the pantry (for exactly this purpose), my hummus required significantly less time and effort it would have taken me to go to the store and buy pre-made hummus for about $2.50 from Sabra (which recently had a listeria outbreak), Cedar's or perhaps Trader Joe's is your go-to brand.

A magically smooth hummus comes together in five minutes with only five ingredients and you will be forever grateful to never again have to buy another container of pre-made hummus.

I opened the can of organic garbanzo beans, tossed the drained beans and the remaining ingredients in the blender and let the machine do the real work. When David tasted it for quality control purposes, he begged me to leave him some and since this hummus was for a party, I encouraged him to scrape the blender clean, which he happily did. But, considering all he really got was a tease of this fabulous hummus, I decided to make it again to share with you since the result is a deliciously savory and substantial homemade hummus everyone loves.

Serve with a plate of colorful raw vegetables (carrots, celery, red and yellow bell pepper, cucumbers and radishes) and crispy pita chips, or slather it on bread (and top with lots of vegetables) for a hearty vegetarian sandwich and then celebrate that everyone is eating their dose of daily vegetables.

As the hummus and vegetables disappear, you'll agree that scratch hummus beats store-bought,

Buen provecho!

Velvety Smooth Hummus

The Cowgirl Gourmet adapted the hummus made by Smitten Kitchen

Print recipe

I don't think I have ever met anyone who didn't like hummus. The simplicity of blended garbanzo beans with tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt makes for a velvety smooth and perfectly balanced dip or spread. Hummus makes an incredible vegetarian sandwich or can be a hearty dip for pita crisps, crackers and raw vegetables. By keeping a can of garbanzo beans in the pantry, you can make homemade hummus in less than 5 minutes and know you have something healthy to snack on.

The difference between this recipe and that of the amazing Deb of smitten kitchen is that I don't call for shelling the beans, which I find to be an unnecessary, tedious task. Particularly since it is still velvety smooth without the laborious effort.

Serves 4

1 can garbanzo beans, approximately 15 ounces, drained and liquid reserved
1/2 cup organic tahini
2 cloves garlic, peeled and root end removed
1 lemon, juiced

3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
Approximately 1/4 cup of the reserved garbanzo bean liquid (also known as aquafaba)
Optional: drizzle with really good olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika, for garnish

Using a food processor or high speed blender, add all of the ingredients. Puree or blend until smooth. Taste, adjusting seasoning if desired.

Place hummus in a container and refrigerate--or eat immediately.

When ready to serve, drizzle hummus with some really good olive oil and sprinkle with paprika for a dash of color.

Serve with crackers, pita crisps and/or lots of raw vegetables.

Refrigerate any leftovers for future snack attacks and repeat often.