HOMEMADE HUMMUS

My super cute and nerdy family always says "hummus is yummus" because, well, it's delicious + we love it. :)  

I often have hummus as an afternoon snack with cut up veggies or veggie chips but will also spread it inside a whole wheat wrap for lunch or throw it in a grain bowl for dinner. This stuff is so versatile and with the creamy texture and taste, you can't go wrong. 

The recipe below is for original flavor, which is what I typically make, but you can get creative! Add roasted red peppers, jalapeno + cilantro, pesto + pine nuts...you can't go wrong! 

Happy hummus-ing! 

Ingredients-
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas 
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)
1/4 cup tahini
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons water
Ground paprika, for serving

Directions-
1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.
2. Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then process another 30 seconds or until well blended.
3. Open, drain, and rinse the chickpeas. Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl, then add remaining chickpeas and process until thick and quite smooth; 1 to 2 minutes.
4. The hummus will likely be too thick or still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, with the food processor turned on, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water until you reach the perfect consistency.
5. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
6. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and dash of paprika.

*Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate up to one week.