Hummus

I am in the land of chickpeas and lentils. Besides being tasty, these two legumes pack quite a nutritional punch. They are full of protein and fiber and have little or no fat. Red lentils also cook down nicely, making them an ideal food for those of us who aren't quite ready for solids yet. I had surgery a couple of weeks ago and am still consuming a mostly liquid diet, but I have added these tasty little orange-red gems into my diet because they are soft and nutritious.

"Humus" means "chickpea" in Arabic, so while other recipes may carry the name "hummus", they aren't exactly. Whatever you call it, though, these dips are delicious and versatile, and perfect for parties. When I make hummus or another version of this spread, I make it the same way. Tonight I am making red lentil "hummus" because I don't have any canned chickpeas. I have a bag of dried garbanzos, but they take for-ev-er to soak and cook, so I'm going with the kirmizi mercimek instead.

Whatever you use, here's a simple recipe that is very flavorful:

1 cup dried red lentils (or 1 can garbanzos/chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste, available in speciality stores, health food stores, or sometimes in the Jewish food section of the grocery store) (use less with the lentils)
2 Tbsp olive oil (use less with the lentils)
juice of 1/2 a lemon
pinch or two of cayenne
1/2 tsp cumin
salt to taste

If using the red lentils, cook until very soft. Drain of excess moisture and allow to cool.

Place the legumes in a food processor and pulse until pulverized. Add garlic, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices. Combine in the food processor until smooth. You may need to add a bit of water or a bit of vegetable broth in order to acheive a smooth, creamy consistency. I usually add a bit of water. You will not need any extra liquid if using the red lentils. You only need some extra liquid when pureeing the larger, harder chickpea.

Place in a bowl or on a platter and chill. Before serving, drizzle with a little more olive oil and garnish with small, whole black olives. You can also sprinkle on a little paprika for color, or add some chopped parsley. Or both! Oh, the red lentil spread is so, so delicious!

*** Legumes and sesame seeds are often used in spells for prosperity, as has parsley. This is an excellent dish for some prosperity magic.***


A nice accompaniment to the hummus is simply 1 cup of yogurt combined with a few spoonfuls of freshly chopped dill. Add salt to taste.

Make a layered dip with the hummus and yogurt/dill dip with chunks of cucumber and tomato in between. If you add the olives, make sure you pit them first. Rejoice in spring and know that summer is on its way!