Hello reader!  I hope you are well and cooking up a storm.

We had our power cut once again, thanks to yep, good old Pollock Pines with 4 feet of snow. What can I say? I am ready for TRAVEL MAZI MOU adventures to start. 🙂 Did you see the news about my new travel business? You can read all about it here.

What’s cooking in my kitchen? As we enter Greek Orthodox Lent, I am preparing some new nistisima recipes. I would like to note that most of my recipes during Lent will include the following: olive oil and dairy. Everyone fasts differently, so please respect that. On that note, let’s get to the hummus recipe.

Why do I like creamy hummus and not the slightly thicker hummus? Well, personal opinion, but I do use my hummus mostly in wraps and or sandwiches. I find this creamy hummus dip really pairs well with everything. Find out for yourself, and let me know what you think!

The secret ingredient in this hummus is almond butter.

Why almond butter and not tahini? I like the sweetness of the almond butter and the texture. If you want a bit of a sour kick goes with tahini. If you want a slightly sweeter kick, go with almond butter.

Mediterranean Creamy Hummus Recipe

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 can of garbanzo beans (rinsed)
• 3 tablespoons of almond butter
• 2 garlic cloves, remove the skins
• 1 lemon (reserve the juice)
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 teaspoon of maple syrup or honey
• 1/4 teaspoon of cumin powder
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Food processor (equipment)
• Freshly chopped parsley (optional)

Method:

1. Thoroughly rinse the garbanzo beans under water, and drain the excess water.
2. In a food processor add the following: beans, almond butter, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, water, maple syrup or honey, and seasonings. Blend until all ingredients are combined.
3. Season to taste and serve with freshly chopped parsley.  Once the hummus is ready serve it with vegetables, pita bread, or make a wrap! You can refrigerate the hummus in a sealed container for up to 6 days.

Notes: 

You can use any herbs you like to jazz up your hummus.

If you want a thicker hummus add more garbanzo beans.

If you want to use fresh garbanzo beans that is fine. Remember that you will either soak the beans overnight for about 6 to 7 hours or you can cook them in boiled water and then let them soak. Many people use baking soda in their hummus recipes to break down the hardness of the beans. It might be worth it, but I never feel the need to do that. Let me know if you try it out though.

Happy cooking and I do hope you find this recipe tasty!

Kali Orexi!