Frugal Hummus

Hummus is a personal favorite of mine. It is so delicious and so good for you. Chock full of protein, iron, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B and more, it leads to a healthy body and a well-functioning mind.

While purchasing a tub of pre-made hummus at the grocery store may harm your budget, making it from scratch at home is so cheap, you'll want to make a batch a week. I use dried chickpeas instead of canned to make it less than two dollars a batch.

Here is my go-to simple and frugal hummus recipe:

Frugal Hummus

• 1 lb bag dried chickpeas
• 6 T. lemon juice (or more depending on personal taste)
• 8 T. tahini (or peanut butter to make the recipe cheaper)
• 2 t. garlic
• 1 t. salt
• 4 T. olive oil
• 1/2 c. water

First, prepare the dried chickpeas by soaking them overnight in 6 to 8 cups of water. Drain and rinse. In fresh water, bring chickpeas to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and continue cooking, covered, for about 2 hours or until soft.

In a large food processor, combine the prepared chickpeas and remainder of ingredients. Puree until creamy, adding more water or oil as necessary to achieve desired consistency. Serve with pita chips, crackers or whole grain bread.

Keep in mind that hummus is a fun recipe to play with. Altar the quantities of the ingredients to fit your taste. You can chop up some onions, saute them and toss them in the mixture. Also try adding a couple tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce to give it some zip. Play around with different vegetables: carrots, zucchini, spinach or avocado are all healthy and tasty options. If you would like, divide the pound of chickpeas to make several smaller batches in order to create a variety of flavors.

Another perk to hummus? It can be frozen for simple snacks later! Just put it in an airtight container (allowing a small amount of space for expansion) or freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Once thawed, you may need to add a small amount of olive oil to return the hummus to its creamy texture. Use with 5 to 7 days of thawing.

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