Bragging rights included in each recipe.

Hummus

No bells and whistles. Keepin’ it classic and simple.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup good-quality tahini
• 2 - 4 tablespoons cold water, or more if needed
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• Juice of 1 lemon (2-3 tablespoons)
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas*, rinsed and drained
• Optional toppings: extra virgin olive oil, chopped fresh parsley, sprinkle of ground sumac or paprika, toasted pine nuts

1. Add tahini, cold water, olive oil, cumin, salt, garlic and lemon juice to a food processor. Puree until smooth.
2. Add in the chickpeas. Puree for 3-4 minutes, pausing halfway to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the hummus is smooth. If it seems too thick, add in another tablespoon or two of water.
3. Taste and season with additional salt, cumin, and/or lemon juice if needed.
4. Serve immediately, garnished with your desired toppings. Or transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

• Chickpeas that have been cooked from scratch: Either in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop. I recommend overcooking them a bit to slightly soften the chickpeas and loosen up the skins.
• Canned chickpeas that have been simmered for 20 minutes: If you have extra time, just rinse and drain your chickpeas. Transfer them to a saucepan and cover with an extra inch or two of water. Then bring to a simmer, continue simmering for 20 minutes, and drain.

5-Minute Kalamata Olive Hummus

A new definition to 5 minutes in (hummus) heaven.

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas, drained, reserving ½ cup of the liquid
• ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste, remember the olives are salty!
• Homemade tortilla chips, optional

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy slowly adding enough of the reserved liquid until creamy. Serve with warm triangles, pita chips or homemade tortilla chips.

Lox & Everything Bagel Hummus

This… right here, is what life is about. Everything bagel flavor meets healthy protein and luxurious seafood, win for everyone.

Ingredients for Hummus

• 1 Cup Dried Chickpeas - picked over for stones
• ½ Yellow Onion
• 1 ¾ tsp Kosher Salt, divided
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 2 TBS Tahini
• ¼ tsp Ground Virgin Olive Oil

• 1 TBS Dried Minced Onion
• 1 TBS Toasted Sesame Seeds
• 1 TBS Caraway Seeds
• 1 TBS Dried Chopped Chives
• 1 TBS Poppy Seeds
• ½ tsp Sea Salt

• Bagel Chips or Pita Bread
• Gravlox or Smoked Salmon - thinly sliced
• Capers
• Shallot - thinly sliced (can substitute Red Onion)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1. Cook the Chickpeas: (*Do Not Soak) Place dried chickpeas in the slow cooker. Add 32 ounces of water (or vegetable stock), ½ onion and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard onion.
2. Transfer the chickpeas to a large kitchen towel or paper towels, and dry, massaging the chickpeas gently to remove the skins.
3. Transfer the chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor and add cloves of garlic. Process until chickpeas resemble wet sand, about 2 minutes. Add the tahini, sea salt and pepper. Process again until smooth. With processor running, stream in olive oil. Slowly stream in the chickpea cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved*.
4. Meanwhile: In a small bowl combine the “Everything” hummus toppings. Stir to combine.
5. To serve: Divide the hummus between one, or multiple, serving bowl(s) and create a small well in the middle. Drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and everything hummus toppings. Garnish with gravlax, capers and red onions. Serve with bagel chips or pita bread. Enjoy!

• I used about 7 tablespoons of Chickpea cooking liquid
• Nutritional Information does not include optional serving suggestions.

Inspired by No Spoon Necessary.   Roasted Red Pepper Hummus   A favorite amongst the hummus-lovers community.

Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, and cut into 1” strips
• 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced in half length wise (optional)
• 2 cups/453 g cooked chickpeas (canned chickpeas are fine, drained and rinsed)
• 2 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped (start with less garlic if not sure)
• 5 tbsp/85 g tahini paste
• 1 to 2 tsp/2 to 4 g sumac
• ½ tsp to 1 tsp smoked paprika (adjust to your liking)
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts, optional
• Extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve)
• Salt

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (skip this part if using jarred roasted red peppers and jalapeno. see [sic] note below)
2. Place the red bell pepper strips and jalapeno in a small baking dish or cast iron pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Bake in heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and well-charred (check part-way and turn peppers over as needed.) Remove from oven and let cool. Drain from oil.
3. In the large owl of a food processor fitted with a blade, add the roasted bell peppers and jalapeno along with the chickpeas, garlic, tahini, sumac, smoked paprika, and lemon juice (do not add pine nuts yet.) Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil. Run the processor until you reach the desired creamy paste consistency. Test and adjust seasoning if needed. Run the processor again to combine.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl. Cover and chill.
5. When ready to serve, top roasted red pepper hummus with a little more extra virgin olive oil and the roasted pine nuts. Add a pinch of paprika or sumac for garnish, if you like. Serve with warm pita bread and sliced veggies for dipping! Enjoy!

Oil-Free Spinach Hummus

  Stay on the healthier side with an oil-free recipe.

Ingredients

• 17 oz canned chickpeas - rinsed and drained
• 1 ½ cups fresh spinach (tightly packed)
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 teaspoon salt (and more to taste)
• 3 teaspoons lime juice
• ½ - ¾ cup water (add more if it’s too thick)
• ½ teaspoon black sesame seeds
• ½ teaspoon white sesame seeds

1. Put all the ingredients except the sesame seeds in your blender or food processor.
2. Blend until smooth (add more water if the consistency is too thick).
3. Top with black beans and white sesame seeds. Enjoy with crackers, veggies or bread chips!

Beet Hummus

The vibrant color of this will have your heart skipping a beat.

Ingredients

• 2 medium beet
• 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained with liquid reserved
• ⅓ cup chickpea liquid (or more, as needed)
• ½ cup tahini
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ tsp salt

• Basil Pesto
• Parsely
• Olive Oil

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Cut the stems of the beets, leaving approximately 2 inched attached. Wash the beets, lightly coat in olive oil (or avocado oil), place in a covered cast-iron pot or other baking dish and roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes.
3. Remove the beets from the oven and slice the tail and stem off the beets.
4. Add the chickpeas, chickpea liquid, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and beets to a Vitamix or other high-powered blender. Use the tamper and blend for one minute or until smooth and creamy.
5. Transfer the beet hummus to a serving bowl and garnish with basil pesto, parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

• The recipe makes approximately 2 cups of beet hummus.

Super Flavorful Ranch Hummus

• 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• ⅓ cup water
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 ½ tablespoons oil OR more water
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons dried dill
• 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste (I like 1 ¼ teaspoons)
• Optional ¼ cup nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor

1. Combine all ingredients in a high-quality blender or food processor and process until completely smooth. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.