Food Fact: Hummus is one of the oldest foods in the world, thought to be over 7000 years old.
My childhood in the Middle East is one of the strongest memories I have with me, particularly when it comes to food. My daily breakfast was a wholesome nutritious Lebanese one consisting of warm whole-wheat pita bread with creamy hummus, mutabal, foul medames and olives. (We took breakfast rather seriously!)
A healthy intake of proteins, carbs and good fats makes for an ideal breakfast for everyone at every age, and even for those on diets. If you are refraining from bread, choose carrot sticks for a healthier option.
A few spoons of hummus with crackers are also recommended as a mid afternoon snack, as a spread in sandwiches, and of course, for a mezze platter. Accompany the hummus with a few olives, and you’ve got yourself a real nutritious package – olives help lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (the good cholesterol) and are packed with anti-oxidants, energy and research has shown, helps prevent cancer. Ever wondered how the Mediterranean ladies have such good skin? It’s all those olives and olive oil!
I usually make a good amount of hummus at one go, which can be stored in the fridge for almost a week (if it even lasts that long!). If plain hummus bores you (is that possible I ask), you can vary the flavours by adding other ingredients – I will post about these in the near future.
ABOUT:
Remember to keep some of the water from the cooked chickpeas.
Taste as you go – hummus is a personal taste – some like it extra creamy, some chunky, more garlic, less lemon juice – it’s entirely up to you.
For garnish, sprinkle some bright red paprika or sumac, a dash of olive oil and adorn with olives.
The recipe for TAHINI PASTE is in the previous post here
Note: the strength of garlic increases as the days go by – so if you plan to make the hummus today for a meal tomorrow, decrease the amount of garlic.
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