Kid Friendly Hummus

I've tried many hummus recipes and this is one of my favorites. It doesn't contain tahini paste, which most people would say gives hummus its distinct flavor. I've made hummus with and without tahini, and maybe my tastebuds are not fine-tuned enough to know the difference, because I don't miss it!  I can eat this by the spoonful. I love using it as dip for veggies and homemade pita chips. I also love putting a pile of alfalfa sprouts on a plate, scooping hummus on top, and crumbling pita chips on top--what an awesomely crunchy meal.

Best thing about this particular version of hummus....my kids LOVE it! Score!

Kid-Friendly Hummus (pbs.com)

Ingredients

• 3 cups canned chickpeas (1 28 oz. can) drained and rinsed (I like using 1.5 c. white beans like cannolinni and 1.5 c. chickpeas...or one can of each)
• 2 large cloves of garlic peeled and crushed (one clove is strong enough for us!)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup water (at MOST--add just a little at a time while blending)
• Pinch of chili pepper (optional)
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Directions

1. Check with a grownup and wash your hands before you begin.
2. Put all the ingredients in a blender (except the water and paprika.)
3. Use the puree setting on the blender to mix everything until it is smooth and creamy. If it's too thick, turn off the blender, and drizzle in a little water (up to 1/2 cup) and puree again until it's the right texture for dipping.
4. Turn off the blender and wait until it has completely stopped. Use a spatula to scrape all the hummus into a shallow bowl.
5. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the top, and sprinkle it with paprika.
6. Clean up the kitchen before you dig into your yummy hummus dip — or as I call it, yummus!