Homemade Hummus!

I LOVE hummus! It is a very easy, versatile dish that can be used to dip veggies, or you can use it as a spread on sandwiches. I found this recipe on Epicurious.com and this has been the best one that I have tried so far!

Why make your own when you can buy some at the grocery store?? Take a look at the ingredients on the store-bought Non-GMO Roasted Read Pepper Hummus (from Sabra's website):

Cooked Chickpeas, Tahini (Ground Sesame), NonGMO Soybean Oil, Red Bell Pepper, Water, Garlic, Salt, NonGMO Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate Added To Maintain Freshness, Natural Flavors

Thankfully they have taken steps in the right direction and are using some non-GMO ingredients, which is great!! However, there are still some ingredients that you want to watch out for:

• When I buy groceries, I like to know that I am buying organic ingredients, especially fresh fruit and vegetables. So seeing just 'red bell pepper' on the ingredient list makes me wonder. It is most likely not organic, which then means it could be GMO and covered in pesticides.
• Again, when buying my own ingredients, I get organic, thus when I make my own hummus I am using organic chickpeas, organic tahini, and other organic ingredients. I seriously doubt Sabra is using organic ingredients. 
• Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent molding. With prolonged use, this ingredient has been linked to skin allegories, like eczema. (Food Babe)
• Even though they are using non-GMO soybean oil, this and canola oil are the cheapest oils to use and can offset the balance of Omega 3 fatty acids to Omega 6 fatty acids. This is why so many people are deficient in Omega 3 fatty acids, thus can cause chronic diseases like cancer, depression, and arthritis. (Food Babe)

So with that said, it is seriously worth the few moments it takes to make your own hummus because you know what is going in it and where the ingredients came from. I hope you enjoy this homemade hummus recipe! It makes double what you would get at the grocery store as well!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups drained and rinsed canned organic chickpeas
• Water
• 1/2 cup organic tahini
• 1/4 cup good-quality extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 TB ground cumin
• 1 TB ground paprika
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Directions:

1. Put everything (except the parsley) in a food processor and begin to process; add water as needed to allow the machine to produce a smooth puree.
2. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. 
3. Serve with a bit of fresh parsley or paprika. Enjoy!

I like to dip fresh bell pepper, carrots, cauliflower, and cucumber with the hummus! I also use it as a spread on my turkey sandwiches, instead of using mustard. 

*Use organic ingredients whenever possible

*Recipe derived from Epicurious