Every time I make hummus I am reminded how foolish it is to buy it. The ROI on store-bought hummus simply is not there. There are plenty of things I can make that I can buy because of time constraints, or that my version is not as good, but hummus just does not fit into that category.

In about five minutes, less time that it takes to go to the store, you can have hummus. And of course, what I love, is I know exactly what I am putting in my body and I have control over smoothness, sodium, preservatives, etc.

For this version, I used tahini, lemon, parsley, and garlic, but you can experiment with all sorts of ingredients and mix-ins, but I recommend at least chickpeas and olive oil.

This is MORE than what you need for a simple hummus. From left to right – parsley, tahini, garlic, chickpeas, lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper.

HUMMUS
1 can (14.5 ounces) Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup Tahini
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 cloves Garlic
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 tablespoon Lemon Zest
2 tablespoons fresh Parsley
1/4 – 1/2 cup water

For a quick meal, serve with salad and pita bread or naan. For this dinner, I combined arugula and tuna with Curry Dressing.

COSTS:
$2.80 for 1 1/2 cups (12 oz.)
Chickpeas – $1
Tahini – $.75
Lemon – $.80
Olive Oil and Seasonings – $.25