Hummus, as most of you probably know, is a Middle Eastern dish made primarily from chick peas (or more commonly known as garbanzo beans) and is fast becoming a very popular dip here in America and with good reason.

First of all it’s a great alternative to canola oil based mayo, so slather some on your sandwich or wrap next time and your heart will sing! It’s also a great dip with veggies like carrot sticks, celery, or homemade pita chips.

Most traditional hummus recipes come from chickpeas, sesame paste (called Tahini), garlic, lemon and olive oil. It’s very easy to make at home. The one suggestion I will give you, however, is to peel the chickpeas.

If you squeeze them, they will pop right out. I like to sit on the couch and turn on The View and just pop away. It takes about 10 minutes and it will give you the S-M-O-O-T-H-E-S-T hummus on the planet !

This hummus recipe has a smoothy silkiness to it, tons of roasted garlic, parmesan cheese, nice quality olive oil and a hint of lemon.

I like to add a little paprika and pine nuts when serving it and you can also add a little fresh olive oil.

3 Fast Facts About Hummus:

Hummus has a high amount of protein which is an essential building block for muscle
Chickpeas and Tahini contain calcium which makes hummus a great choice for vegetarians and vegans
Chickpeas and Tahini contain high levels of iron which is great for those suffering with anemia (my sister 😉 )

And one more fact, just to seal the deal:

Hummus is Gluten Free (clap clap)

OH! and just one more:

Garlic and olive oil are two of the best-known and most studied ingredients. They’re both part of the famously good-for-you Mediterranean Diet.