Hummus
There are so many really good foods which you can buy pre-made at the store. Many of those foods which you can buy pre-made are so gosh-darn expensive though – especially when you compare it to the cost (and ease) of making the same thing at home!
Hummus is one of those type foods… There are some great per-packaged big-name Hummus brands out there. They taste pretty good as well (heck, they are what got me hooked on hummus years ago). When I moved out on my own and started cooking more, I realized how easy hummus was to make at home. I would spend at least $2.50 on a package of pre-made Hummus at the store. When I stock up on ingredients on sale (always) and buy the the things needed to make my own, I can make the same about for around $1. That is about a 60% savings – which will really add up, especially since you will eat more of it once you find out how delicious and easy it is, since we already know hummus is a great healthy snack!!
For me, Hummus is the perfect thing to keep in the fridge. When I get home from school and am working on preparing dinner, I am often hungry and in need of a snack – some hummus with celery and carrots will hold me over perfectly until we eat dinner about 2 hours later. It’s a healthy and delicious alternative, and if I make up a batch over the weekend, I am good-to-go for the week. Put your hummus in a fancier bowl and maybe even drizzle some Olive Oil or Spices on top and you have a fancy dip for friends. Season it however you like: garlic, sun-dried-tomatoes, roasted red pepper, pine nut – whatever flavor you are craving that week.
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), mostly drained & save liquid
- at least 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2-3 Tbsp. tahini (sesame paste)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. cumin
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- optional toppings and/or mix-ins: more olive oil, chopped fresh Italian-leaf parsley, paprika (or smoked paprika), crushed red pepper, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and/or toasted pine nuts
- Add all ingredients (except spices at first) to your food processor and blend until smooth. Check your consistency and flavor – add in your spices and continue to process, scraping down the sides until it is quite smooth. Taste again and adjust seasonings as needed, adding some of the reserved chickpea liquid if needed until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Garnish with optional toppings, and serve or just put in a container to snack on for the week. Can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks (not sure it has ever lasted that long)
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AND if you love Hummus as much as I do then you should probably check out some of these other recipes I’ve made which you may love as well…
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And I leave you with this, Today’s Question of the Day… What is one store bought pre-made food have you discovered is easier/cheaper/better to just make at home? (I have a ton!)
