Easy Hummus Recipe

I bought a food processor for the sole purpose of making homemade hummus, and have never looked back. (Of course, the lovely bonus is that I get to make all kinds of things I otherwise wouldn't.) If you use canned chickpeas, this recipe comes together in about 15 minutes, and it's a great way to sneak in veggies for picky eaters. I've included celery here, but I've also had success with carrots, roasted red peppers and kale. Actually, I love the kale hummus, but at a certain point my daughter was on to me and refused to eat any more of the "green hummus."

Easy Hummus

(Basic Recipe)

Ingredients:

15 oz. can chickpeas

3 TBSP tahini

1/4 cup water

2-3 TBSP olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic (depending on size)

2 lemons

2 celery hearts, chopped

handful fresh parsley (dried works in a pinch)

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. sea salt (or to taste)

1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

paprika, additional olive oil, and parsley for garnish

1. Begin by draining and rinsing the chickpeas. I usually let them sit in the colander while I prep the rest of the ingredients.

2. Spoon the tahini into the food processor, making sure to stir it first so the oil is well mixed in.

3. Squeeze the juice of both lemons into the processor.

4. Add all the rest of the ingredients, including the chickpeas, and with the exception of the garnish.

5. Run the processor for about a minute or so, until the mixture looks pretty smooth. At this point, I scrape down the sides, run it again, and then add more water if it seems too thick. (It will thicken up in the fridge, so I usually make the initial batch pretty thin, slightly thicker than a salad dressing.)

6. Taste, and adjust seasonings.

7. Spoon into a bowl or storage container, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle paprika and more parsley on top. Enjoy with crackers, veggies, as a topping on rice cakes or bagels -- or, as my two-year-old prefers, with a spoon straight from the bowl!