I have been making hummus for years and have tried a number of different recipes. My former favourite recipe called for yogurt, but when I became the mom of two kids with dairy allergies, I was not able to modify the recipe while preserving the flavours I loved. That’s when I pulled out my staple vegan cookbook, How it all Vegan!: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet, by Tanaya Barnard and Sarah Kramer. I must make a huge shout out to an old friend from my university days, Christina, for recommending this book: it provides me with lots of great recipes for my egg and dairy free meals, enables me to eat cruelty free more often, and has a recipe that I was able to use as a base to create my own recipe for the best hummus ever.
How it all Vegan! is available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.ca/Vegan-Irresistible-Recipes-Animal-Free-Diet/dp/1551520672
Put all of your pre-conceived notions about hummus aside. This is a truly wonderful Mediterranean condiment. A good hummus is smooth, savory, and has a wonderful garlic fragrance. You’ve probably had it on a pita at some point, but it has many more uses than that! Hummus, compared to the dips we love in North America (sorry, Ranch), is relatively low calorie and low fat. It is also loaded with protein. I enjoy it in many ways. It is excellent as a dip for vegetables, a spread on crackers or crusty bread, mixed with tuna for sandwiches, on pizza instead of (or in addition to) tomato sauce, as well as on wraps and pita. It is traditionally made with chickpeas, but you can use other beans to create variety. Black beans and fava beans substitute well. Get creative with your hummus. It’s a wonderful staple and has helped me eat a lot more fresh vegetables! Makes 2 cups.
1 small sweet onion, chopped
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 5 garlic cloves, minced)
2 cups chickpeas (cooked or canned)
1/2 cup tahini*
1 1/2 tbsp Bragg’s** (or low sodium soy sauce)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1. Saute the onions in the vegetable oil on medium heat until they are transparent (about 5 minutes).
2. Put the sauteed onions and the rest of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend them until no big chunks remain.
3. Refrigerate two hours to allow the flavours to blend before serving.
Fun Substitutions: Try using raw onions instead of cooked. I do this regularly to change up this recipe. Another great substitution is using 1 cup of canned artichoke hearts (drained) in place of onions. Want to spice it up? Try adding your favourite hot sauce, a diced chipotle pepper, or a few chopped pepper rings.
*A note on tahini: Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds. Many brands of tahini are processed in facilities that also process nuts. Be sure to read the ingredient labels to find one that suits your needs. Also, some natural separation occurs in the jar, so every time you use your tahini, stir it thoroughly to mix the oil with the paste and always store it in the refrigerator.
**A note on Bragg’s: Bragg’s Liquid Aminos is a condiment that is made out of soy beans. It functions and looks like soy sauce, but get this: it has no added salt or preservatives. Bragg’s still has a wonderfully salty taste. There is some naturally occurring salt in the soybeans, 160 mg per 1/2 teaspoon. If you still aren’t sold, this product is made wtith 100% non- GMO soybeans. That means there is no Roundup in your Bragg’s.
Morsels Minus 