Easy Hummus Recipe Without Tahini: Blender Peanut Butter Hummus

Hummus is a Middle Eastern dip or spread made from mashed cooked chickpeas. It is traditionally made with 4 key ingredients:

1. Chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans)
2. Tahini (sesame seed paste)
3. Lemon juice
4. Garlic

Often recipes also include olive oil and salt. The recipe for hummus can easily be modified to create unique flavors by adding pesto, roasted peppers, pine nuts, and cheese, for example. Regardless, it is a truly delicious food! Not only does it taste good, but its main ingredient--chickpeas--are good for you too!

You can feel good eating hummus when you know that chickpeas are...

• High in fiber! Just 1 cup cooked provides 12 grams of fiber (50% of your daily value), supporting your digestive system. Chickpea fiber is insoluble, which can lower your risk of colon problems.
• Very low on the glycemic index, meaning eating chickpeas helps to regulate your body's blood sugar naturally.
• High in iron! Just 1 cup cooked provides 26% of your daily value.
• A good source of protein. Just 1 cup cooked provides 29% of your daily value.
• Considered one of the world's healthiest foods as they are nutrient dense (lots of nutrients in a small amount). Adding to fiber, iron and protein, they are also high in manganese, folate, copper, phosphorus, and zinc.

My Dad introduced me to hummus when I was a child. At the time, I did not like it at all. I did not think I would ever like it. But, I continued seeing him eat it from time-to-time and as a young adult, I tried it again. It quickly became one of my favorite snacks! Now, I ask Dad to make it for me whenever I go home to visit each year. His is the best!

Although I like hummus quite a bit, it is hard for me to spend the $3 for a small tub that will last me just a few days. I knew Tahini was the most expensive part (at least $10 for a jar), so I never tried making it. That is, until recently when I had quite a hankering for some hummus. It was at that point I searched the internet and found you can replace tahini with a natural nut butter like almond or peanut butter. Really? I was quite skeptical. But that hankering grew, so I tried it. And guess what? It was AMAZING! I couldn't taste the peanut butter as I thought I would. Wow! This recipe is packed with flavor as Dad and I like it: lots of cumin, garlic, and parsley. For less than $1, it is worth a try!

These spices are recommendations. Cater the recipe to your taste.

Since creaminess is not as important to me, I am content to pour all the ingredients in and blend away! However, if this does matter to you, there are a few tips to try:

• Peal the skin off the chickpeas before blending them (this takes about 20 minutes). This is the most time-consuming tip, but it does work the best! Check out the video below for a short-cut.
• Slowly drizzle in the olive oil as the hummus is blending.
• Use creamy peanut butter. I actually prefer crunchy peanut butter and it blends just fine, but perhaps not as creamy.

The trick? Mix 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda with a can of drained chickpeas. Heat them in the microwave or skillet for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with cold water and rub your hands back and forth against the chickpeas to release the skins.

It is important to note that most of the fat is actually the good kind, not trans or saturated fat. If you look on the label of olive oil or natural peanut butter you will see this. That is why you can eat hummus, in moderation of course, with confidence! Remember all those benefits to eating chickpeas? They are high in fiber, protein, and iron, to name a few!

• Veggie dippers: carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers
• Bread dippers: pita wedges, bagel chips, baked tortilla chips, multi-grain crackers
• On top of grilled salmon or chicken
• On a falafel sandwich
• Mixed with pasta, cucumbers, peppers, and fresh parsley
• As a substitute for tomato sauce on a pita pizza
• On a breakfast sandwich
• Mixed in tuna salad
• Water it down a bit to use as a soup
• Is it okay to say....by the spoonful!

Whatever way you eat hummus, it is a delicious, inexpensive, and healthy dip or spread you can feel good about eating for yourself or serving to guests.

• 5-Minute Salsa: Uses a can of diced tomatoes, vinegar, onions, cayenne pepper and fresh cilantro. Just dump into a bowl and mix! Yummmmy!
• Dad's Guacamole: Another quick flavor-packed dip with lots of cumin, garlic, lime juice, and cilantro. We make this every Cinco de Mayo!