Looking for something to do with your zucchini harvest? How bout slicing your squash and topping it with this fresh lemony hummus? I love this recipe for it’s simplicity and easy preparation. Most of the ingredients you likely have in your fridge, pantry or garden. Tahini (sesame seed paste) can be found at most grocery stores. It’s savory, nutty flavor rounds out the spicy garlic, fresh acidic lemon and sweet basil.
This high protein, high fiber snack has been shown to aid in weight loss, and reduce cholesterol. Garbanzos (also called chick peas) are a nutritional powerhouse providing iron, calcium, folate and loads of other vitamins, minerals and amino acids plus a healthy dose of fiber.
So easy to make, this would be a good project to tackle with the kids. You basically just dump everything into a food processor (or chop the garlic and basil by hand and then mash everything together with a potato masher). My philosophy is the more garlic the better so I used 4 large cloves per one can of beans. You can adjust this amount to suit your taste.
Try it and let me know what you think in the comments below…
Lemon Basil Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves
- 1 15.5 oz. can of Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1-2 Tablespoons of tahini (I found the tahini sauce pictured above at Trader Joe’s)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Zest about half of the lemon, peeling off just the yellow rind, not the white pithy part. Slice the fruit and squeeze the lemon juice into the bowl of a food processor. Add the zest to the bowl as well.
- Add garlic cloves to the lemon juice, pour in olive oil and process until the garlic is minced.
- Add the fresh basil leaves, garbanzo beans, tahini and salt and blend until smooth
Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She offers this recipe to tickle your taste buds. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice.
