Artichoke Hummus

Making your own hummus is actually easy, cheap and healthy. Most of the popular brands contain lots of preservatives. This recipe is actually made without oil. The olive oil is added as a garnish which you can omit if you prefer. Tahini (whole sesame paste) and artichokes for delicious flavor give a delicious flavor. I enjoy hummus served with vegetable sticks, gluten-free pita bread, pizza, tortilla and potatoes. I added Za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend which I had handy. You can make your own, here is a recipe, The sumac is the only ingredient that you would have to purchase at a Middle Eastern store or online. You can omit the sumac and add extra lemon, since sumac has a tangy flavor. 
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or one 15 ounce can chickpeas
• 1 cup artichoke hearts, drained ( I used the one that comes in a jar that has no oil)
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Za’atar (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
• Extra-Virgin olive oil for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Add ingredients to your food processor or blender. Process until nice and smooth.

I prefer to prepare dried chickpeas because most canned ones contain preservatives, BPA (Bisphenol A) and lots of sodium. If you are struggling with health issues, try to stay away from using canned foods.

If you are using dried chickpeas, sort and wash 1 cup of dried chickpeas, and cover with 5 cups water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain chickpeas and rinse, then place chickpeas in a medium-sized pot and add 5 cups water and bring to boil. Lower to simmer and cook in covered pot for 1 hour or until chick peas is tender. I love to prepare extra chickpeas using this method. I can then measure out some for making falafel, patties, soups, stews or curried chickpeas. Unused portions I then freeze for later use.

You may want to try Roasted Bell Pepper Hummus