To Go w/ Your Veggies this Week

Hummus

(from The New Moosewood Cookbook by: Mollie Katzen)

Plain

2 medium cloves garlic, minced finely

3 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 15 oz. cans, rinsed and well drained, save some of the liquid in case you want to alter the consistency of your finished product)

6 Tbs.  tahini (I sometimes use 4 T. tahini and 2 T. olive oil)

6 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

¾ to 1 tsp. salt (to taste)

Optional:  cayenne and a little cumin, to taste (I usually do put in cumin, about 1/4 tsp, and a dash of cayenne)

Mince garlic first, then add the rest of the ingredients in your food processor; puree to a thick paste.  (If you prefer your hummus a little less thick add some of the reserved liquid from the cooking of the chickpeas or what you drained off of the canned beans to your hummus until it’s how you like it.  Before I had a  food processor I mashed my hummus by hand.  It is coarser, but still delicious.)  Put in a tightly lidded container and chill before serving.

Souped up

2 to 3 meduim cloves garlic, roasted & sliced

A large handful of parsley

2 healthy scallions, in 1 inch pieces

-or-

Roasted red peppers

Put the above ingredients into the food processor and mince, then prepare the rest of the recipe as above (from the chickpeas on down).

Serve with veggies, pitas, chips, as a sandwich spread.  It’s delicious!