Humble Hummus From The Bean Queen

Those of you who have been reading BCDC for a while know that I am totally addicted to Goodwill, thrift stores and rummage sales.  I’m actually quite excited because I’ll be helping at my sister Ele’s church rummage sale tomorrow!.  Well several months ago at that same rummage sale I found a wonderful deal…you know I love  a deal!

It’s a Cuisinart mini-prep processor.  It looks bigger in this photo than it actually is but it was in perfect shape…and it cost $1.oo!!!  I couldn’t believe it!  I scooped it up immediately!

You might remember all of the garbanzo beans I cooked the other day…

Well, I have long wanted garbanzo beans to meet mini-prep processor.  Yesterday was the day!

I used the recipe I found in Isa Chandra Moskowitz’ book Appetite For Reduction.  It’s a cook book filled with what look like tasty recipes but this is the first time I’ve tried one.  I picked this mainly because it was low-fat and I had all of the ingredients!

The starting lineup.  Not a lot of ingredients…My kind of recipe!

Since it was my first try, I figured there would be lessons to learn.  First, this would probably have been easier with a full size food processor.  I have a brand new one in the basement, never out of the box.  I am kitchen space challenged as you have all heard before.  This worked just fine.  Next time however and I’m excited to say, there will probably be a next time, I will process 1 cup of beans first, then the second.   Putting all of them in at once made it too full and required a lot of taking the lid off and pushing down with a spoon.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Hummus!  Once it processed down a bit and I added the liquid it started to look really good.  It smelled good too!

Ta Da!!  It looks like Hummus, it smells like Hummus, it TASTES like Hummus!  I was so excited.  Ralph was out while I was doing this and he was hysterical when he walked in the door and I pushed the container in his face, saying…”Look at my Hummus!!”  He’s not a fan of hummus but agreed it definitely Looked like hummus.  He said he was really proud of me.

Here’s the recipe!

• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas , liquid reserved
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon paprika (optional)

Directions:

1.  
   Open the chickpeas and pour off about 4 tbsp of the liquid. Drain the rest of the liquid and rinse the chickpeas. Pulse them in a food processor along with the garlic.
2.  
   Add the olive oil, lemon juice and pulse. Add 2 tbsp of the reserved liquid, salt, and paprika if using. Blend until very smooth and add in extra liquid a tbsp at a time if need be. Taste for salt & lemon juice. (I ended up adding more lemon juice). Let chill if not using immediately.

Since I was using homemade beans, I just used 2 cups (16 ounces).  Also there was no bean liquid from the can, so I substituted veggie broth.  Honestly, this was so easy, I don’t know why I took so long.  It’s delicious and it is lower in fat that the store-bought versions.  Less expensive too!  There are variations and I will try them next time.  Actually, I have a few of my own ideas now that I know I can do it.

I’ll leave you with a pretty beach photo from Honeymoon Island.

I hear it’s in the 80’s there.  It’s been in the 60’s in New Jersey, and that’s not bad for February.  It may be in the 80’s but they don’t have Homemade Hummus! 😉

Happy Friday from The Bean Queen!!