Hummus is a staple of every crudité platter I assemble. I used store-bought versions for years until I learned how easy - and delicious - a homemade batch can be. Traditional hummus is made with chickpeas (aka, garbanzo beans), but I prefer the creamier texture of white cannellini beans. Rich in slow-digesting carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and magnesium, whites beans are a low glycemic index food which lowers risk for heart disease and diabetes, while the added garlic is a powerful antioxidant packed with vitamins B and C.
Ingredients (makes approximately 2 cups)
1 can (typically 15 1/2 ounces) white cannellini beans
6 cloves garlic, roasted from a full bulb
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 tablespoon
4 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400F.
To roast the garlic
Place one muffin liner in a muffin pan. Peel away the loose outer layers from a bulb of garlic. Slice off top of the bulb, exposing the raw ends of the cloves. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and place in muffin liner. Roast until golden brown and soft, approximately 45 minutes. Unwrap, and allow to cool.
Combine ingredients for blending
Drain liquid from can of beans and pour beans into blender. Squeeze six cloves of roasted garlic from the bulb into the blender. Add the lemon juice, tahini, salt, cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper. Blend, slowly adding olive oil to desired consistency.
Serve with dippers like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, grape tomatoes, blue corn chips, or pita.
Experiment with optional mix-ins like roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, or sun-dried tomatoes.