Best homemade Hummus

Hummus is a healthy, versatile spread made with chickpeas, tahini, garlic and lemon.

Ingredients

15.5 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained

¼ cup Greek tahini (roasted sesame paste)

1 large lemon juiced (1/4 cup juice at minimum)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil (additional for serving)

3 tablespoons water

pinch of cumin

Sumac for serving
1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves for garnish

• Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients (except water) to the food processor and process for 2 -3 minutes until smooth.
  2. Add water as needed to get to desired consistency. I find that the full 3 tablespoons works perfectly!

 Serve on Greek rusks dusted with sumac.

Serve as a snack on Greek rusks with some carrots.

Hummus can be used on bread as a spread for a sandwich, can be served as a dip with vegetables or crackers, makes a great quick snack on a cracker or, my favorite, on Greek rusks topped with sumac, olive oil and chopped parsley.

Enjoy!

Maria 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Eggplant Stelios @ Shoprite!

I never imagined that I'd be doing a cooking class with the lovely Nicole Hallissey, the dietitian at Shoprite of Oakland. But, when I went to see her for my cholesterol problem(there I go again!) we ended up planning to cook Greek together.

I suggested my deliciously healthy Eggplant Stelios(guess who?) and she rounded up the meal with a yogurt based hummus and a Greek Salad.

Here's how it went:

Chop parsley, onion, garlic and eggplant. Saute onion, garlic, add parsley tomatoes and eggplant.(see full recipe below.)

Add a 32oz. can of tomatoes

Nicole's Greek salad. Yum!

Chickpeas, garlic, fat free Greek yogurt and a little olive oil!

Greek Hummus!

 

 

 It's not Greek until you pour on the olive oil!

 

The finished product. Yummy, eggplant, tomato stew! Trust me, you'll love it!
Think caponata, but better!

Three of our participants!

Nicole and I

 

Thank you, Nicole, I had a blast!

 

Eggplant Imam (Stelios’s recipe)
serves 4 as a main dish

2 lbs eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 large onions, minced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of minced parsley

1 large can of crushed tomatoes

1 soupspoon of corn oil

¼ cup of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the onions and garlic in a thick-bottomed pot with the vegetable oil. Add the tomato puree, the olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and add the eggplant to the pot. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon (scrape the bottom of the pot with the spoon to prevent sticking and burning of the ingredients, especially if the bottom is not thick enough; avoid crushing the eggplant). Simmer until eggplant is soft (about 30 min). Let the pot stand for a while (in the fridge, if longer than a few hours) and reheat before serving.

Note: The dish gets better after a day or two. Eggplant is best served over rice or bulgur pilaf and plain yogurt.

 Enjoy!

 

Maria