Hummus, Not-Hummus and Being Inconvenient

Mmmmm, hummus. It’s one of my favorite things, but I don’t like most store-bought hummus, so unless I make it, I don’t have it around nearly enough.

The hummus is the stuff on top. The bottom bowl is filled with what I call “not-hummus”. I give you both recipes down at the bottom of this post, but I have something to get off my chest first.

Eating the way I do can be…

inconvenient. There. I said it. I’m inconvenient.

Convenience foods are, well, convenient.  I mean, “convenience” is right there in the name.  I would buy a lot more convenience foods if it weren’t for two things:

1) Convenience foods often have yucky stuff in them; and
2) Convenience foods are flippin’ EXPENSIVE, and while I love The Best Job Ever, it’s a part-time gig at a public university, so I don’t make very much money.

So as much as my lazy side would love to just buy stuff from the freezer case and be done with it, I don’t.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I love cooking. I would cook for fun even if I had all the money in the world, and all the convenience foods were free of cumin and sour preservative junk and all that other stuff I hate. I just wouldn’t cook nearly as much if food I like were available at low prices.

Example 1: I don’t like cumin, so I don’t buy store-bought hummus. I make it myself, and then it doesn’t have cumin in it.  My homemade hummus is also much cheaper than store-bought.

Example 2: I don’t like spaghetti sauce to be too sweet (or too expensive!), so I make it myself.

Example 3: Four dollars a loaf for decent bread?? Are you kidding me?

Wait. What was I talking about? Oh, yeah. Hummus. And not-hummus. Both super-yummy, and if you make them yourself, you can do them how you wanna. The not-hummus is free of added fats as written. Feel free to add olive oil, but it doesn’t really need it.

And in case you’re worried, these recipes are quick and easy if you use canned beans, and not much harder if you cook the beans yourself. Not really inconvenient at all.  I’m just a whiner sometimes, but I ranted, I got it off my chest, I’m over it.  Here, have a great close-up shot of the not-hummus, which is delicious.

Hummus

1 1/2 to 2 cups (or one can, drained) cooked garbanzo beans
juice of 1 medium or 2 small lemons
1 clove garlic (preferred) or garlic powder to taste
salt to taste — anywhere from none to 1/2 tsp seems to work
2-4 tablespoons tahini (more or less to taste)
1-2 jarred or fresh roasted red bell peppers, optional

Blend it all up. It’s that simple. You’ll get about two cups. No need to add extra liquid if you use the peppers, because they’re moist. If you do want it thinner, good olive oil’s a decent choice; so is more lemon juice or some of the garbanzo cooking water.

Not-hummus (Garbanzo spread)

1 onion, chopped
1 bunch of parsley, chopped
1-3 cloves garlic
juice of 1 lemon
salt to taste
2 cups cooked garbanzos (or one can) (reserve some of the cooking liquid)

Cook onion in a little water until it starts to turn translucent. Remove from heat and add parsley, stirring just until the parsley wilts. In blender or food processor, pulse everything together until you get a chunky dip/spread, adding some bean liquid if necessary to make things the consistency you like.