Monday, May 21, 2018

Tips for Better Hummus at Home

Smooth and creamy hummus.
I like hummus. I like hummus a lot. A lifetime ago, a friend who was vegan introduced me to hummus. But I could never make my own and have it turn out right. Frankly, I had given up trying. Then while living in Baltimore, my roommate brought home a tip about hummus. Cook the chick peas. Since then, I use that tip to make the kind of smooth and flavorful hummus that I like to eat.

Hummus is a spread made of chick peas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. Tahini is a "Middle Eastern paste or sauce made from ground sesame seeds" (online dictionary). Think peanut butter made from sesame seeds. 


Tips for Making Better Hummus at Home


Cook the Chick Peas.  A few years ago, my roommate came home with exciting news. A person had shared their delicious hummus with him. When he asked what the secret was, the person told him that it was boiling the chick peas and mashing them when they are still warm. I use two cans of chick peas. I dump them into a sauce pan and simmer them until the juice has simmer away. Be careful not to burn the beans (that stinks up the kitchen and is hard to remove from the pan). I then strain the remaining juice off before mashing the chick peas.

Use Fresh Tahini. Tahini comes in a can and is much like peanut butter but with oil floating on top. I only just now learned that oils can go rancid, and this includes the oils in Tahini. Which explains why I once made hummus - using a can of Tahini I found in the back of the cupboard - and it tasted terrible. I thought it was just because I'm not good in the kitchen and the odds of me messing up even the most simple recipe are high.  But in this case, it was the old Tahini. Make sure you have Tahini that was recently purchased. Stir the layers of paste and oil together before scooping out the amount you want.

Use a Food Processor or Nutri-Bullet. If you like extremely smooth Hummus, use a food processor. I use my Nutri-Bullet.  I first use a potato masher to mash the chick peas and Tahini together. I add the additional ingredients and give it all a spin in my Nutri-bullet. The Hummus turns out very creamy and easy to spread or dip. 

There are days that I want more coarse Hummus and on those days, I just mash with a potato masher and stop there.


I don't do recipes. 
For a recipe that is the same as how I make my hummus 
check out this Easy Hummus Recipe by inspired taste. 


Basically, I simmer the chick peas (two 15 oz. cans). Strain the remaining water off. Add around a 1/2 cup of tahini, a squirt of lemon juice, a pinch of garlic salt, and a squirt of olive oil. Tonight I added a can of black olives. I mashed the mix with a potato masher. Then I added the mixture to my Nutri-Bullet with about a 1/4 cup of water. Blend briefly. Tonight I served with a few drops of sriracha and baby carrots. 

Customize Your Hummus


Add the ingredients that you like. I really like to add a can of black olives to mine. I also use a splash of water and use less oil.

Other Hummus flavor ideas are:

  • sriracha
  • cumin
  • roasted red peppers
  • mushroom
  • spinach


Additional Links About Hummus


I like the taste of Hummus. I think it is a great light meal or snack. I eat it on bagels, tortillas, chips, carrots, or pita bread. I don't eat it because I think it is a super food. Some people believe that Hummus is a food that is high in protein, helps with digestion, and is an anti-inflammatory. Others say that claims of high protein are inflated and that Hummus is only high in carbs and fats. If you are looking at Hummus for it's health benefits, please consider both sides of the debate. Jessica Migala in EatingWell writes on the side of hummus being a very healthy food with many different health benefits, including being a good source of protein. While Jessica Cording writes for Shape Magazine that hummus not only is not high in protein, but IS high in fat and carbs. 

My thinking about the health benefits of hummus are somewhere in the middle. I do know that I love the taste when I make my own and it has to be far healthier than that entire bag of M&Ms I'd eat as a snack if I didn't have hummus. 

Intro Photo: Hummus courtesy of Pixabay under CC0 license




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


10 comments:

  1. Being a picky eater who pretty much sticks with the same simple foods, I am not at all familiar with hummus. I had heard the name only, but did not know what it was, so your article was educational to me, as well as helpful to all who love hummus. Thanks, Dawn Rae.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I only recently have tried hummus. I've got the ingredients, but have yet to make my own. Thanks for providing me with tips for mixing up a successful batch. You have saved me from having to figure it out on my own. Though I do like to experiment, it will be nice to have my first experience be one that is a tasty win. As for the health benefits, it seems every food these days has come into question. Sometimes it is hard to know who to believe in terms of what to eat and what not to eat. I've always thought of hummus as a healthy food.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've actually never tasted hummus. I know our son loves it. I've been with him in restaurants when he orders it. I wouldn't have had a clue what the ingredients were, much less how to make it. Thank you for the recipe! I would love to surprise him with homemade hummus.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great tips for making hummus. I can't eat legumes but my husband loves it when I make this for him. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. We have been buying hummus. I don't make many things from scratch anymore. I'm wondering if the ingredients in this aren't more expensive than the finished product, both in money and effort. My husband likes the garlic flavor we get. I would think hummus would be high in fiber, but it's not as high as I thought. A two tablespoon serving of the pine nut variety we currently have contains 2 grams protein and 1 gram fiber. It has plenty more fat than that.

    ReplyDelete
  7. That sounds very good. I'll remember your tip about cooking the chick peas first. I'm with you, humus is soooo good

    ReplyDelete
  8. Always a fan of hummus, but haven't tried making it - yet! Thanks for the tips :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love hummus too. Just being in the Middle East for the past 3 months and everytime we eat there is hummus on the table. I have not made my own yet, but if you can do it, I'm sure that I will be able to as well. Going shopping tomorrow to get some ingredients. Hopefully the taste will be even better than the ready made hummus and hopefully more cost effective too! Thanks Dawn Rae!

    ReplyDelete
  10. We do love hummus, we eat it with veggies and crackers all the time. It's one our favorite snacks. I'll keep this one and give it try, and thanks for the tip on cooking first. I never gave that a thought. Thanks Dawn.

    ReplyDelete

Most Recent Reviews on Review This Reviews






Search for Reviews by Subject, Author or Title

The Review This Reviews Contributors



SylvestermouseSylvestermouseDawn Rae BDawn Rae BMbgPhotoMbgPhotoBrite-IdeasBrite-IdeasWednesday ElfWednesday ElfOlivia MorrisOlivia MorrisTreasures by BrendaTreasures by BrendaThe Savvy AgeThe Savvy AgeMargaret SchindelMargaret SchindelRaintree AnnieRaintree AnnieLou16Lou16Sam MonacoSam MonacoTracey BoyerTracey BoyerRenaissance WomanRenaissance WomanBarbRadBarbRadBev OwensBev OwensBuckHawkBuckHawkDecorating for EventsDecorating for EventsHeather426Heather426Coletta TeskeColetta TeskeMissMerFaeryMissMerFaeryMickie_GMickie_G

 


Review This Reviews is Dedicated to the Memory of Our Beloved Friend and Fellow Contributor

Susan DeppnerSusan Deppner

We may be apart, but
You Are Not Forgotten





“As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and or Etsy (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from purchases.” Disclosure Statement

X