Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Dr. Weil's Recipe of the Day!


Hummus
10 servings
This wonderful bean spread has gained in popularity over the past few years. Our version has all the benefits of a more traditional recipe, but with less olive oil. The combination of garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas), tahini, lemon juice, cumin and garlic is a show-stopper. This is wonderful as a sandwich spread or as a dip with raw vegetables or pita triangles. Keep a batch in your refrigerator all the time and you'll never be without a nutritious snack or lunch.

Ingredients:
1-3/4 cups dried chickpeas (garbanzos)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup sesame tahini
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3-4 cloves garlic, mashed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:
1. Soak the chickpeas for 8 hours with the baking soda in cold water to cover.
2. Bring the chickpeas to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and cook until soft, about 45 minutes. Drain, reserving a bit of the liquid.
3. Make the tahini sauce: Blend in a food processor or blender the tahini, cold water, lemon juice, cumin, and garlic. Measure out 1/2 cup of this sauce for the hummus, saving the rest.
4. Put the drained chickpeas in a food processor and process to a rough purée, adding a little of the cooking liquid if necessary. The mixture should not be totally smooth. Add the tahini sauce and process until just mixed.
5. Scrape the mixture into a bowl. Stir in the olive oil.
6. Serve with pita bread, whole-grain crackers, or carrot sticks.

Nutritional Information:
Per serving:102 calories5 g total fat (1 g sat)0 mg cholesterol11 g carbohydrate4 g protein3 g fiber150 mg sodium.

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