Homemade Hummus Recipe

SInce this was my first try at making hummus, I got an idea of what to add from some online recipes, then proceeded to wing it. I added in some ingredients that sounded like they'd taste good together. I recommend you try making your own version, adding spices that you like.

1 can garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas)
juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce works fine too)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sweet curry powder

Drain the garbanzo beans almost completely. Pour them into the blender with the remaining liquid.

Add the rest of the ingredients and blend for a couple of minutes until the hummus is the desired consistency. I like mine slightly chunky.

Taste it and then add more seasoning if needed.

Scoop into a bowl and pour 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over top. I've also bought hummus that has diced green olives on top. Now, that is delicious.

Eat right away or refrigerate covered in an airtight container. Keeps a few days.

Photo Credit: Peggy Hazelwood

Flavored hummus is a great way to break up the monotony by adding spices and chopped vegetables that you enjoy. Try these flavors in a batch of homemade hummus:

- Mexican (use cilantro, cumin, chili powder, and oregano for a spicy Mexican hummus)
- Italian (try several of these spices: oregano, basil, rosemary, sage, and fennel)
- Sweet and Nice (select some sweet spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and honey)
- Asian (typical Asian spices like ginger, curry, cinnamon, pepper, anise, and hot mustard combine for an Asian-inspired hummus)
- Greek hummus (add crumbled feta cheese, olives, olive oil, oregano, and thyme)