I have always loved hummus, but ever since my kids have been at home full time, we’ve been making a lot of hummus. My oldest loves it for lunch. Just hummus and some crunchy pita. I’m good with it and happy she is making good choices even though she’s stuck at home.
It’s also my go-to lunch when I don’t want to cook. Chickpeas (well, beans in general) are so good for you and it’s a great way to get in all that fiber.
One half cup of chickpeas is 6.5 grams of fiber. That’s pretty substantial. I know this hummus is 4 servings, but to be honest, sometimes I eat half of it on my own…that’s a lot of fiber. Here’s another fun fact, in that same 1/2 cup, there is a little over 2 mg of iron. That’s non-heme iron (plant iron), which the body doesn’t absorb very well, but adding vitamin C (the lemon in this hummus) helps your body hang on to it better. So, bottom line, don’t leave out the lemon juice.
This is my base hummus recipe. From here, it’s easy to switch it up. Sometimes I’ll add sundried tomatoes to the top or caramelized onions. I always have pine nuts hanging out in the fridge, so most of the time, those go on top of whatever hummus I make. I love the crunch and the texture.
Here’s my last tip: If your kids like hummus, make a big batch and portion it out for lunches and send them with a mix of carrot sticks, cucumber slices, and pita chips for dipping. It’s a great way to get more plants into those growing bodies.
PrintClassic lemon and tahini hummus
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
1, 15 ounce can chickpeas, reserve 3 tablespoons liquid before draining
2 tablespoons tahini
1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Optional: Additional olive oil for the top, paprika, pine nuts
Instructions
In a food processor or high powered blender, add chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin, and reserved chickpea liquid.
Blend until ingredients start to come together and start to drizzle in olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time until your hummus reaches a creamy consistency. Use less olive oil if you want a thicker hummus and more olive oil if you want it thinner.
Eat as is or add extra olive oil, paprika, and pine nuts to the top for even more flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes