Now is a good time to make your own hummus and see just how easy it is to create in just a few minutes. Luckily, hummus lends itself well to using substitutions for ingredients that you don’t have on hand. Who knows – you may never buy humus again once you learn how simple and inexpensive the DIY version is!
Red Pepper Hummus
Ingredients:
- 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo/ beans (chickpeas), sodium-reduced (or regular with extra rinsing)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon (or 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (optional)
- 2 clove garlic, minced (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste) or peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
- 1/4 teaspoon each of salt, pepper and ground cumin
Directions:
- Rinse and drain garbanzo beans under running water.
- Chop red pepper.
- Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy.
Enjoy with fresh veggies or crackers, or in place of mayonnaise on a sandwich.
Serves 5. Per serving: 134 calories; 7 g total fat; <1 g saturated fat; 17 g carbohydrates; 4 g dietary fiber; 5 g protein mg sodium