So it’s the new year! If you’re looking for ways to reduce your caloric intake (maybe you’ve added on a few pounds over the holidays?), reducing your intake of oils is a great place to start. We don’t realize how many added calories we consume by eating oil. Oils are nutrient poor and calorically dense. One tablespoon of oil is 14 grams of fat, or 126 calories (9 calories/gram of fat). By the pound, oil is the highest in calories-being 100% fat it comes in at 4000 calories/pound. So-by skipping out on oil, you can easily shed unneeded calories! Try it!
I have purchased an oil and tahini free hummus that my kids love. I have wanted to try and create something similar, as it’s pretty pricey, and hummus is a breeze to make if you know an important trick! Typically hummus is made with tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds. While sesame seeds are packed with calcium (did you know that there is 16% of your RDA in 2 tbsp!) it is also high in fat. Virtually all store bought hummus has added oil as well. To health this on up, I decided to skip the tahini and see what would happen. Light and refreshing-this oil free hummus is delicioso!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, cooked=3 cups cooked chickpeas, in baking soda (see instructions), 1/4 cup reserve cooking liquid
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, divided
- 1 fresh red pepper, roasted see instructions, or could use raw (won’t have the same depth of flavor)
- 3 large cloves of garlic, approximately 2 tbsp garlic
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2-3/4 tsp kosher/sea salt
- 1 tbsp of cooking liquid (or more to thin)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions:
To make chickpeas (either from dried or canned)
From Dried Chickpeas (much preferred!)
- Soak dried chickpeas overnight or for 8 hours in 1 tsp baking soda, being sure chickpeas are covered in water y 1-2 inches.
- Drain and rinse chickpeas and place into a pressure cooker, cover with water, and add 1/2 tsp baking soda. Bring to pressure, reduce heat to low and cook for 12 minutes. Turn heat off and allow pressure to drop. To cook without a pressure cooker; cover chickpeas with water, add baking soda, and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and cook until soft, about 1 1/2-2 hours. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of liquid.
Spoon on top has been cooked using baking soda, bottom without. Notice how the beans look more mushy, and skins flake off.
From Canned Chickpeas
- Rinse and drain canned chickpeas. You will need 2 cans for 3 cups. Place in a pan and add 1/2 tsp baking soda, and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer, until chickpeas become soft. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of liquid.
Hummus
- To roast red pepper: place fresh red pepper on open flame, either on a grill or gas stove, and turn until pepper is charred.
Place pepper into a paper bag to steam for 5 minutes. Peel char off of pepper and remove the seeds.
- Place chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, salt, roasted red pepper, and cayenne in a food processor. Blend until desired consistency.
- If needed, add a few tablespoons of reserved cooking liquid to thin to desired consistency (I added 1 tbsp).
- Season with additional salt and/or cayenne if needed. Enjoy with veggies, on crackers, or as a salad topper!! This goes well for a complete Middle Eastern meal with my Buckwheat Tabbouleh and Baked Falafel
Nutritional Benefits:
- High in plant-based protein
- No added oils/fats, very low in fat
- Cholesterol free
- No added sugars
- Good source of vitamin C and fiber
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, cooked=3 cups cooked chickpeas, in baking soda (see instructions), ¼ cup reserve cooking liquid
- 1½ tsp baking soda, divided
- 1 fresh red pepper, roasted see instructions, or could use raw (won't have the same depth of flavor)
- 3 large cloves of garlic, approximately 2 tbsp garlic
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½-3/4 tsp kosher/sea salt
- 1 tbsp of cooking liquid (or more to thin)
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- Soak dried chickpeas overnight or for 8 hours in 1 tsp baking soda, being sure chickpeas are covered in water y 1-2 inches.
- Drain and rinse chickpeas and place into a pressure cooker, cover with water, and add ½ tsp baking soda. Bring to pressure, reduce heat to low and cook for 12 minutes. Turn heat off and allow pressure to drop. To cook without a pressure cooker; cover chickpeas with water, add baking soda, and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and cook until soft, about 1½-2 hours. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of liquid.
- Spoon on top has been cooked using baking soda, bottom without. Notice how the beans look more mushy, and skins flake off.
- Rinse and drain canned chickpeas. You will need 2 cans for 3 cups. Place in a pan and add ½ tsp baking soda, and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer, until chickpeas become soft. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of liquid.
- To roast red pepper: place fresh red pepper on open flame, either on a grill or gas stove, and turn until pepper is charred.
- Place pepper into a paper bag to steam for 5 minutes. Peel char off of pepper and remove the seeds.
- Place chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, salt, roasted red pepper, and cayenne in a food processor. Blend until desired consistency.
- If needed, add a few tablespoons of reserved cooking liquid to thin to desired consistency (I added 1 tbsp).
- Season with additional salt and/or cayenne if needed. Enjoy with veggies, on crackers, or as a salad topper!! This goes well for a complete Middle Eastern meal with my Buckwheat Tabbouleh and Baked Falafel
