Artichoke Hummus

Hummus is one item you’ll always find in my fridge.  It’s my go-to sandwich topper and veggie accessory.  It’s also one of those things that, anytime I buy it in the store, I tell myself, “Self:  you can make that at home.”

I think I’ve finally perfected homemade hummus.  The secret – artichokes!  I find garbanzo beans (chickpeas) to be very dry so that usually means compensating with a lot of olive oil and/or tahini.  The artichokes make for a smooth and creamy hummus without a lot of added fat.  In fact, one large artichoke has just 25 calories, no fat, 170 mg potassium, and is a good source of vitamin C, folate, and dietary fiber (Source).

The fun thing about homemade hummus is that the combinations are endless.  My go-to seasoning is either fresh basil (when available) or Penzey’s Italian Herb Mix.

Artichoke Hummus
*1, 140z can of beans
*1, 14oz can of artichoke hearts
*1/2 tsp tahini
*1-2 tbsp lemon juice (use more/less to taste)
*1-2 tbsp seasoning or herbs of your choice (more/less to taste)
*1/4 tsp garlic salt
*1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
*Just a small drizzle of olive oil as needed to reach desired creaminess

Add everything except the olive oil to a food processor and mix until everything is combined.  Slowly drizzle a small amount of olive oil in until hummus is desired consistency.
Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl 1-2 times and continue to process.  Store in the refrigerator – it’ll keep for about a week (if it lasts that long!).

I suppose I could call this “Hipster Hummus” since I “instagrammed” my hummus:

 

I’ll leave you with a cute puppy picture–this was my reading buddy yesterday:

 

Worn out from his big birthday!

What’s your favorite hummus brand/flavor?  I like the Whole Foods Market store brand – a bit expensive but no preservatives and it’s full of real ingredients.  But the homemade version tastes even better!