Hummus from the Heart

With hundreds of hummus recipes available out there, I think the best approach is tossing out the recipes and going with what you like. Since you throw all the ingredients into a food processor at once, there is no need to follow any real guidelines. Just add ingredients to taste. If you like lemony hummus add more lemon, if you like garlicky hummus add more garlic and so on. *Traditional Lebanese hummus does not contain garlic, but I am Greek after all, so bring on the garlic!


My latest creation: Hummus with Basil


1 can chickpeas / garbanzo beans
tahini to taste (I like a lot, 5-6 tbs.)
handful of fresh basil
juice of 1 lemon 
3 cloves of garlic
water (add more depending on how runny you like it)
generous drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste


Combine ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Taste and add more of any ingredient you like. Serve with warm pita or veggies. Yields about 2 cups. Let sit in fridge before serving.


Healthy Hints:
Chickpeas are a good source of protein and Vitamin E and are rich in fibre.
Garlic can reduce the risk of both cancer and heart disease.
Basil helps with indigestion.