Hummus

I can't remember when I first tried hummus, but I remember thinking that it was some sort of exotic, luxury, and expensive treat I could only have a couple times a year. Hummus is essentially a Middle Eastern dip typically made with five ingredients: chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini (ground sesame seeds), lemon juice, garlic and salt. Yes, you can make your own hummus with only five ingedients (seven if you include extra-virgin olive oil and paprika for garnishing).

If you're wondering where you get Tahini, I usually find it in the "ethnic" aisle at the grocery store. The price is sometimes a little steep, but one jar will make around three or four batches of hummus, and each batch makes a little more than two cups (and I believe a serving is around two tablespoons). Please don't let buying Tahini defer you from making your own hummus.

I'll admit that the first time I made this I was terrified it wouldn't taste the same as store bought—the directions and ingredients seemd too simple. But once I made it and tasted it, I vowed to never buy the packaged stuff again.

This is an absolutely perfect base recipe for hummus, and from here you can let your imagination run wild with ways to spruce it up (roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, spicy red pepper, etc.). I'm usualy the first one to jazz something up with spice or other flavors, but believe me when I say that this is fantastic as is. The recipe below is only slightly adapted from the original (I added more garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes—naturally), so definitely taste as you go and create it based on your preference.

  Hummus

slightly adapted from Desert Candy

Ingredients: 
2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas
1/2 tsp salt
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup water from chickpeas
olive oil, parsley, paprika or cumin for serving

Directions:
1. Rinse chickpeas. Place chickpeas in saucepan with water; cover by one inch. Place saucepan on the stove; bring to a boil and simmer until chickpeas are very soft: test a chickpea by squeezing it between your fingers, it should smush easily, this could take between 5 and 20 minutes. Remove from heat, skim off any chickpea skins that have floated to the surface and discard them.

2. Place garlic and salt in a food processor; pulse to chop. Add tahini and lemon juice; process until mixture is slightly whitened and contracted. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chickpeas to the processor (don't discard the cooking liquid); process until very smooth. Thin the hummus to desired consistency with reserved cooking liquid (I use about 1/4 cup of reserved liquid). Taste and adjust seasoning with lemon juice and salt. Refrigerate.

3. When ready to serve, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with spices if desired. Serve with pita bread, pita chips, veggies, or eat alone!

Tahini Cookie Bars

A couple weeks ago I was invited to my very first cookie exchange. I was excited about the possibility of trying a new recipe, and then one of my friends attending the exchange reminded me that she can't eat dairy. Cookies without milk or butter? Is that even possible? I set out to find a recipe (or two) that would be safe for her to eat and stumbled upon Tahini cookies.

When I saw the following recipe I knew I had to try it—not just because I had an unopened jar of tahini sitting in my pantry, but because I've been wanting to try making a granola-like cookie. Tahini can be found in the ethnic isle of your grocery store (usually in the Mediterranean section). It's commonly used in making hummus and is essentially ground sesames turned into a paste—the texture reminds me of peanut butter. (*Insider's tip: If you are military—or know someone in the military—I got my tahini at the commissary for half the cost of getting it at the store).

Personally, I think the tahini can be a bit overpowering, so I added some vanilla and more cinnamon to the recipe to counteract the taste of the tahini. I also threw in some cherry-flavored craisins to make it a little more like a granola bar, but feel free to add other dried fruit and/or nuts, too.

Tahini Cookie Bars

adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons tahini
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
• 1/4 cup craisins (or raisins) 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets (for cookies) OR grease a  baking dish (for bars).
2. In a medium bowl, stir together tahini, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix in pecans, oats, and craisins until well blended. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 2 inches apart. OR spread mixture evenly into baking dish (for bars).
3. Bake for 10 minutes in preheated oven, or until edges are golden brown and tops are slightly brown. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely OR if making bars, cool completely in dish. When completely cool, slice into bars with butter knife.