I make one version or another of hummus weekly. It’s delicious as a dip or spread for sandwiches. It’s my go to lunch with avocado, tomato, and something green and leafy whether it’s baby spinach or micro greens. YUM!
In addition to the traditional ingredients, I up the health ante by adding a tablespoon of miso. Miso is an anti-carcinogen that also reduces the effects of environmental toxins, such as air pollution. It is a concentrated source of protein containing all eight essential amino acids and is an incredible digestive aid because it is naturally fermented. Miso is a good source of manganese and zinc and is also an important source of several phytonutrient antioxidants.
By the way, the chickpeas pack their own nutritional punch, too. It is also a wonderful source of protein and provides more Vitamin C, iron and fat than most other legumes (except for soybeans). They are also great blood sugar and cholesterol regulators and because they are high in dietary fiber, they do a great job at flushing toxins from the body.
You’ll need:
1/2 C dried chickpeas, soaked (or 1 can of organic chickpeas) 2 garlic cloves
1 red pepper, roasted 1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 C fresh squeezed lemon juice (usually 1 juicy lemon will do) 3-4 T tahini 1 T white miso 1 T ground cumin Sea salt to taste
To make:
1. Cook chickpeas – drain and rinse and then add chickpeas to a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and partially cover. (Feel free to add an 1″ of kombu or a bay leaf here, too.) Chickpeas take a while to get soft so check once in a while to make sure water hasn’t completel
y evaporated.
2. Once chickpeas are done and cooled, add everything to a food processor and whiz away. You may need to add a bit more oil or water if the hummus is too thick. Taste as you go and adjust seasonings to your liking.
3. Enjoy with crudite, rice crackers, pita bread, etc. etc.
