If you have never tried making hummus at home, you are missing a real treat.  This dip, called the poor man’s food in the Middle East, tastes great and can be made to be very healthy.  Even when it is not loaded with preservatives, it still last a week in your refrigerator.  This means that you can make it on the weekend and enjoy a healthy snack all week long.

There are a couple of things that you want to keep in mind if you are new to making hummus recipes.  The most important is that even if your recipe calls for canned garbanzo beans (also called chick peas), it is much better if you used dried beans and cook them yourself. (This is true when making any type of recipe that calls for canned foods, such as black bean recipes.) This is a much more economical option and it is also healthier.  Most all cans used in foods today contain BPA, which is now known to be toxic.  Recently the Federal Drug Administration came out with a public statement that indicates that they have serious concerns about the health risks of BPA.  Additionally, the real secret to amazing hummus is starting with warm garbanzo beans.

You will need to plan ahead because the garbanzo beans will need to soak for at least eight hours or overnight.  After they soak, you will need to drain and rinse them, being careful to pick out any bad beans.  Next, you will bring a fresh pot of water to a boil and add the beans to it.  Reduce it to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender.  This takes about two hours.  When the beans are tender, drain them and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

You can use the reserved liquid to help the hummus reach the appropriate consistency without having to add in any additional olive oil.  This can really help keep the fat down!  Another tip – if you are not afraid of giving up a little nutrient content, you can add in a teaspoon of baking soda in the last ½ hour of cooking.  This will yield a perfectly smooth hummus.