A yummy hummus dip is something that no house should be without. It is delicious, full of healthy plant based proteins, fats and complex carbs, in short, the perfectly balanced food. Chickpeas and sesame seeds are chockfull of nutrients that will make your inside just as happy as your taste buds.

Most food stores today have shelves full of different brands and flavors of hummus but once you make it at home, you will notice the difference, it just tastes better and it’s fresher and healthier than store bought. It is very easy to make, give it a try, you will fall in love with home-made hummus!

Step 1: Soak!

Rinse one cup of dry chickpeas until clean. Put in a bowl and cover with plenty of filtered water. Soak overnight.

Step 2: Cook!

Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas and put them in a pot with plenty of filtered water.
Add: a piece of Kombu seaweed and a few bay leaves. The Kombu enhances the flavor and make the beans more digestible, meaning, no gas!
Bring to a boil, lower flame and cook until chickpeas are tender, 45 minutes to an hour, removing the foam from the top.

*You can skip step one and two by using 2 canned chickpeas , I like to cook my chickpeas from scratch and sometimes will even sprout them before cooking them, it’s healthier! If you’re using canned, I recommend to use organic chickpeas, no salt added that were cooked with Kombu. Eden organic is a good brand.

Step 3: Blend!

Strain the chickpeas, discarding the Kombu and bay leaves and reserve the cooking liquid. If you’re using canned, reserve the canned liquid.
Put the chickpeas in a high-powered blender or food processor and add 1/3 cup of raw organic tahini, juice of one lemon, 1-2 cloves of garlic, peeled and salt and cumin to taste. Blend, adding the cooking liquid slowly to desired consistency. Make the hummus a little thinner that you like, it will thicken up in the fridge. Taste and add more salt or cumin if needed.

Step 4: Get Creative

You can totally skip this step, you now have a delicious hummus!

But you can customize your hummus in lots of different ways.
Here are some ideas:
Blend in: fresh herbs, parsley, basil, mint…
Add mashed avocado
Blend in roasted peppers
Blend in olives
Sprinkle red chili peppers flakes for an extra kick

I recommend to serve your hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a little sprinkle of paprika. You can also serve it sprinkles with pine nuts, slices olives or toasted sesame seeds.

It is great in sandwiches and wraps or with crackers and sliced veggies.

Enjoy!