Hummus is something both my hubby and I love. We use it on salads, to dip veggies and on sandwiches and pizza. Since we are trying to keep our fat intake (even from healthy sources) as low as possible I generally make our hummus without fat. Our rare occasions I will add a tablespoon or two of tahini to my hummus, but that is not what I did today. Here is what I made:
Spicy Roasted Garlic Hummus – no fat added
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup garbanzo beans, picked through and rinsed, either soaked overnight or quick soaked
Water to cook beans
3 bay leaves
Seasonings:
2 heads steam roasted garlic, no fat added
1 lemon zested and juiced
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, or to taste
1 teaspoon paprika, or to taste
2 tablespoons wet hots (aka hot crushed peppers, or pickled hot peppers)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Cook the garbanzos in water with bay leaves until the beans are very soft. Drain the beans (reserve the cooking liquid), remove the bay leaves and place the beans in your food processor or blender while still warm. Add the roasted garlic, lemon and as much bean cooking liquid as is necessary to get a soft creamy hummus. Add seasonings according to your tastes. Refrigerate until needed. The hummus will thicken as it cools so you may want to add a little more liquid than you think is necessary. At our house Dan likes it thick and I like it thin so the added liquid is very subjective for us.
Nutritional Information:
Amount Per Serving
Calories - 116.96
Calories From Fat (14%) - 16.26
Total Fat - 1.95g
Saturated Fat - 0.2g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 13.44mg
Potassium - 312.42mg
Total Carbohydrates - 20.59g
Fiber - 5g
Sugar - 3.11g
Protein - 5.91g
Comments:
If you are looking for a flavorful no added fat hummus we think this is a good one. It has so much flavor you won’t miss the olive oil or tahini. I whipped this together Sunday night so that we had it for our trip to Richmond yesterday. Both Dan and I think this is my best fat free hummus yet. It is lightly spicy and tangy from the peppers. It also has a sweet background form the caramelized garlic. I don’t know if I can make a version that we will like more. This one is that good. It has much more flavor than your standard hummus, but we think it is great.
We used the hummus as the “glue” to hold our wrap together last night which included veggie burger (from Sunday) and fresh baby spinach in whole wheat flat bread. While we try to not make a habit of eating things with flour as you saw from the post of yesterday there was much flour in our diet. That seems to frequently be what is available when we are out which is why we try to minimize our consumption of flour at home.
Unrelated Notes:
It is so nice to be back home after my day in the car yesterday. I loved spending the day with Dan but all that time in the car was physically numbing. I think it made me enjoy exercising today much more than I usually do. I often mention needing to exercise but don’t say much else about it. Unlike my friend Heather I don’t love exercise it is more of a necessary evil. In fact, I really don’t like most forms of exercise. There are a few notable exceptions. Yoga and pilates are very enjoyable. I also like kickboxing, but this is a new love. What forms of exercise do you like? Do you have a favorite form of exercise, or favorite DVD? I am always looking for things to add so I don’t get bored. I would really like to hear what types of exercise you enjoy.
I forgot mention I did pick up a couple of books yesterday while we were out. There is a new discount bookstore in the Leesburg outlet mall. I picked up a copy of the "Imus Ranch Cookbook" since Brandi recommended it. I also grabbed a few books on macrobiotics, a new Raw book and an exercise book and Dan got a book. I find it impossible to pass by a bookstore and not go it. But when I can buy 8 books for $40 it is a no brainer in my mind.
Tonight for dinner I am thinking raw zucchini spaghetti with sun-dried marinara and little nut cheese and basil. I also need to get some beans on the stove. Somehow we are out of beans again. It seems like all I ever do is cook beans. I will be back later this evening with my version of raw pasta. This is one of those really simple recipes that best better than the effect that goes into making it. Aren’t those the best recipes?
Well, you already know that I think this sounds fantastic. I plan on trying the cooking liquid method the next time I cook chickpeas. Great tip! Being in the car can make just about anyone want to get out and exercise LOL. Glad you're finding more cardio you enjoy like the kickboxing. I'm always up for trying new workouts (as I'm sure you already suspect). Dinner sounds yummy. I'm sitting here trying to plan my dinner...
ReplyDeleteHeather,
ReplyDeleteThanks! :-) Making the hummus with hot or warm beans seems to make a big difference. I stumbled on that by accident. The cooking liquid adds a little body since it is thicker than water. At least that is what I think. ;-)
I really do like kickboxing which I did not expect. Have you tried Budokon? That is fun too, and related. If you find any new cardio you love please share. I can always use suggestions. ;-)
I need to figure out what I am making with the raw spaghetti since I suspect we will need more calories than it will contain.
talk to you later,
Alicia
Tiffany,
ReplyDeleteYou can always make it as is and add the tahini if you are missing it. That would be my tactic. ;-)
Jogging doesn't really agree with my aging knees. Although it is a great calorie burner. I was surprised by how much I like kick boxing. It is much more fun than I expected and this is coming from someone that exercises because it is good for her, not because she loves it. ;-)
I hope you enjoy the hummus,
Alicia
Alecia-
ReplyDeleteFirst, a question - What have you learned about the benefits of lowering healthy fat intake, besides overall calorie reduction? I know you must have a good reason, backed by research:)
And since you asked - Walking is my fave exercise. I could go all day. Walking outside, as long as it is not storming, without an iPod so I can hear the birds and such. I'm able to get my heart rate up and burn 500-600 calories in about 3-4 miles. Another pleasing and natural exercise is yoga. Do you have a Bikram studio in your area? It is not for the faint of heart (not that you are one--I have a feeling you are not). It is the best stress buster and best workout I've ever had.
All Blessings,
Megan
Megan,
ReplyDeleteHave you read the China Study? That was the first book that really spoke to me about fat. The data is very clear linking animal fat and breast cancer.
Later I read “Life Over Cancer” and the doctor recommended a very low fat diet for the following reasons: (1) all fat is calorie dense and can lead to tumor recurrence by leading to weight gain, (2) all dietary fats impair the body’s natural killer cells (while low fat diets increase natural killer cell activity), (3) they have linked increased fat consumption (included supposedly healthy fats) with an exponential increase in cancer, and (4) oil is nothing more than a processed food devoid of the other nutrients it once contained. Additionally when fat is heated it immediately begins to oxidize and deteriorate. At a minimum I would only use raw oil that isn’t cooked in the food. Last, oils don’t tend to have a good omega 3 to omega 6 ratio (except flax oil). And by using oil you tend to increase your intake of omega 6 which is not what you want. I have also read that the consumption of all fat increases cholesterol.
For these reasons we now get our fat from seeds and nuts and try to keep that to a minimum. We also use a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds in our morning smoothie or oatmeal to keep our intake of omega 3’s up.
Giving up olive oil was really tough for me. I love the flavor of good unfiltered olive oil so I miss the flavor quite a bit. For us it was easier to make the change since the stakes are so much higher. After about 2 months I was used to cooking without fat. But it was a learning process that is for sure. One thing I would caution you about is that when you seriously reduce the fat the calories go way down as well. You may find you need to eat a lot of food and often to keep weight on. Not the worst problem to have but I wanted to warn you.
Walking is a great idea. I always forget about that. Great suggestion, thanks for sharing it. I love yoga too. I should look for a studio nearby and see what classes they have. Thanks for your suggestions!
Alicia
alicia,
ReplyDeletei love hummus and this is truly innovative! thanks for sharing!
Aimee,
ReplyDeleteWe love hummus too. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do. It has a lot of flavor to compensate for the loss of fat.
Alicia
Thanks for the info!! I knew you would have solid rationale. I did read China Study, but I'm looking forward to checking out the other references you mentioned. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is very similar to how I make my hummus too! Lots of garlic, cumin (so good!), and then I also add about 1/2 as much coriander as cumin--yum. I will have to give your version a try next time I make a batch, though!
ReplyDeleteCourtney
Megan,
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome. Giving up oil was very difficult for me. It isn't something I wanted to do. I fought this tooth and nail until I couldn't bury my head in the sand any longer! sigh....... It does get easier the longer you do it. :-)
Alicia
Courtney,
ReplyDeleteI add coriander sometimes too but omitted it this time for some unknown reason. The pickled peppers add a nice flavor and acidity to the hummus. I think that is the trick. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Alicia
Alicia,
ReplyDeleteI think this looks uber tasty!!!
I love hummus, but I have only bought it in the past. My favorite is red pepper hummus!
I would say my favorite exercise is not "in the box" so to speak, I love to do those dance dvd tapes, you get to learn a new dance and get fit and when those are not available, I love to run(which I cannot anymore) and swim. I was on a great swim team when I was younger. Not to shabby right? My legs were huge like Arnold Schwartzenegers..(is that how that is spelled?)lol, my mother would not let me run anywhere, because she was afraid they would get bigger...true story...lol
So I was thinking today while being tortured by my family, we should come up with a pepperjack cheese spread! Doesn't that sound brilliant!!!!!!
Brandi,
ReplyDeleteI like red pepper hummus too. Sub roasted red pepepers for the garlic and that should do it.
I love to swim too! Our climate is not so great for swimming outside. Dance DVDs are good idea. I will check the library the next time I go to see what they have in that genre. Thanks for the suggestions!
I make a pimento cheese what would be similar in flavor to pepper jack. I will double check to see if I have posted it before. If not I will see if have what I need to make it tomorrow, once I find my recipe that is. ;-)
talk to you later,
Alicia
Well, this sounds great. My husband and I are both on board finally to try and reduce some of our fat intake from oils. Your blog has been very helpful in showing such wonderful, tasty dishes. Now, I just have to adjust the children. :) Don't look for major changes right away though, Alicia. Change will come, but probably more slowly than for you. :)
ReplyDeleteBlessed Mama,
ReplyDeleteI wish you could see the big smile on my face! Dan just asked what I was grinning about. You have made me so happy. I am thrilled to hear that you will be reducing the oil. I will consider this an early birthday present. Yay!
hugs!
Alicia
Thanks for the recipe...I have to get my hands on some of those red hots.
ReplyDeleteRose,
ReplyDeleteI do use them all the time don't I? They add heat and acidity so they do double duty. Once you start using them you will find yourself putting them in everything. Or at least that is what I do. ;-)
Ali
Glad to be able to do that. Happy early birthday.
ReplyDeleteBlessed Mama,
ReplyDeleteYou could not give me a better present. ;-)
hugs,
Alicia
You have me intrigued by the addition of pickled peppers to the hummus, now! I wouldn't think to combine it with cumin, but now I have to this weekend :-)
ReplyDeleteCourtney
Courtney,
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear what you think of the pickled peppers in this. If you like acidity and heat I think you will enjoy them here.
Alicia
Ali, do you use cumin seeds or ground cumin in this recipe? I question the seeds because I tried tasting a few and they're very hard/dry, plus I've always used ground cumin in hummus. Also, it seems that you forgot the lemon in your list of ingredients. I assume you add the juice of one lemon plus maybe the zest? Lastly, I can't find hot pickled peppers here and have been trying various substitutes. Does it say what kinds of peppers are in your jar? Do you buy the Flora brand that you linked to? Thanks and have a great day!
ReplyDeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteThanks for catching the lemon omission. Don't know I how I missed that in the ingredient list. ;-) I do use cumin seeds, but you can use ground. My food processor grinds the seeds so I don't pregrind them since I only buy whole cumin.
I do use the brand I linked to. Have you tried looking in the pickle or mustard aisle of your stores? Where I live the pickled peppers are used on sandwiches. They are also called wet hots, sandwich peppers or hoagie spread. The label says peppers but they are definitely red and green and are mildly hot. If you have an Italian grocery store near you they should have them.
Ali
I just made the hummus and it's wonderful! I've used roasted garlic before, but not quite that much. I added some "hot" pickled banana peppers but they're more sweet than hot, plus I don't like the artificial colors. I'll keep looking for and trying other kinds of pickled peppers. I also added some cayenne, which helped the flavor.
ReplyDeleteIs your food processor a fairly recent model and if so, can you please share the name? Mine is an old Robo-Coupe from the early 70's that needs a new bowl and blade, which are fairly expensive since they come from Europe. Yet it's been so reliable that maybe I should spring for the new parts.
Laura,
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it. :-)
I have a big Cuisinart and it is fairly new. If I were you I would buy the new parts for your machine since you have been happy with it. Do you ever sharpen the blade on yours? My husband does that for me once a month or so. It seems to make a difference.
Ali