When hunger strikes, nothing is easier than dipping some veggies, bread, crackers or chips into some creamy smooth hummus. I've taken to preparing a legume in my crock pot each week, for quick plant protein that can be a staple for almost any meal. This week my bean was the chick pea. Whirled up in the food processor (I just have a tiny Kitchen Aid and I LOVE it!), you can add many seasonal ingredients and various seasonings to get a delicious blend. This time I utilized a portion of a large jar of artichoke tapenade, some fresh garlic and leftover cilantro.
Raw garlic is a natural infection fighter, with anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti- inflammatory properties and cilantro has been effective in removing heavy metals and toxins from the body, as well as aiding in digestion, stabilizing blood sugar, easing mood swings, among many other benefits. And chick peas? They are rich in molybdenum, a trace mineral that detoxifies sulfides in the body. These little nibbles also provide a surplus of folic acid, manganese, iron, copper, zinc and fiber, lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar.
Perhaps you could call this a health dip?!
What I had on hand:
2 cups cooked chick peas (aka garbanzo beans)
2-3 cloves of fresh garlic
3 Tb of artichoke tapenade (or use 1/2 can of artichoke hearts)
1/4 bunch of cilantro
2-3 Tb of tahini (I like the Organic Arrowhead Mills the best)
2 Tb of lemon juice
1-2 Tb of olive oil
1 Tb cumin
1/4 cup of water (as needed)
1 large pinch of ghost pepper salt (optional)
salt to taste
What I did:
Add all ingredients to food processor and blend until smooth,
adding small amounts of water as needed to get your desired consistency.
Salt to taste.
Serve with veggies, crackers, blue corn tortilla chips, pita bread, etc.
YUM.
For more information on the health benefits of chick peas, click on this link:
For more information on the health benefits of cilantro, click on this link:
For more information on the benefits of raw garlic, click on this link: