Lemon & Roasted Garlic Hummus

Hummus in our house lasts about as long as peanut butter does...

About a week or so.

My husband slathers it on everything from bagels to toast to crackers to tortilla chips. I have it mostly with vegetables as an afternoon snack.

The first time I tried it, back in college, I thought it was fairly disgusting. My best friend liked to eat it and, as roommates, naturally we politely forced one another to try new foods. I decided hummus was not my cup of tea.

Then I met my husband. And he loved it too. But he loves pretty much anything that's packed with protein and can be put on toast. I decided, after a couple of years, that I would give hummus another chance.

Eureka!

I have no idea what changed, but I was hooked. Although, I did acquire a taste for some other random foods that I had previously hated during that same time, including coffee and beer. Good beer. Can't drink that anymore...

When I realized, some time later, how incredibly easy it is to make hummus, I was thrilled. I tinkered with some recipes I found online until I found just the right combination of tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. This recipe is such a staple in our house that I included it in the family cookbook we gave out as favors at our wedding.

A friend recently asked how easy it is to make hummus after I mused over making it to my husband in his presence. My reply, "Throw everything in a food processor and hit 'go' kind-of-easy!" 

This recipe really is super simple. The most complicated part is roasting the garlic. I tried some recipes that called for raw garlic and it just didn't work. This recipe can also be used as a great foundation - play with it! Figure out what you like and don't like. This has a bit more lemon juice than you might personally care for, so change it! Or maybe you want more tahini - go ahead. I don't mind. I truly believe in taking a recipe and making it your own. I hope you enjoy this hummus recipe as much as we do.

Lemon & Roasted Garlic Hummus

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes (garlic)

Yield: 2 cups

• 2 15-oz cans Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans), drained (liquid reserved and set aside) and rinsed
• 2 Lemons, juiced
• 2 Tbsp Tahini
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1/4 cup good Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus additional for roasting garlic and drizzling
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 1-2 Tbsp Pine Nuts, as garnish

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Place garlic cloves, unpeeled, on a square of aluminum foil. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Wrap up foil into a nicely sealed packed or pouch. Roast in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until soft. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
3. In a food processor, fitted with a metal blade, combine chick peas, lemon juice, tahini, and roasted garlic. Process until smooth - stop to scrape down sides of bowl.
4. Turn processor back on, slowly add olive oil in a steady stream while processor continues to run. Stop to scrape down sides of bowl and taste test.
5. If mixture is not smooth enough, add reserved bean juice, 1 Tbsp at a time while processor is running, until mixture comes together and is nice and smooth (or it reaches your desired consistency). 
6. Add salt and pepper to taste; pulse 6-8 times to combine.
7. Transfer hummus to a serving dish. Drizzle lightly with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sprinkle with pine nuts.
8. Serve with your favorite gluten-free crackers, toasted pita bread, vegetables, or anything else your heart desires! Will keep for up to two weeks in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Happy gluten-free cooking!

Honey Cinnamon Peanut Butter

We go through A LOT of peanut butter in my house.

And when I say a lot, I mean a lot. My husband is practically addicted to the stuff. So much so that he once asked me, "If we ever have a child with a peanut allergy, can we send them back?"

No joke.

A few months ago I decided I would try to start making peanut butter myself - hoping it might be more cost effective. And I mean, come on, it couldn't possibly be that hard. I only purchase natural peanut butter, which can get mighty pricey. Especially the way my husband goes through it - I buy a new jar at least every other week if not sooner. And that's really all him, I don't partake much in the peanut butter eating. He puts it on everything from oatmeal to bagels.

Yeah, I think the oatmeal thing is kinda weird too...

Regardless, making peanut butter really is not that challenging, as long as you have a good food processor and a lot of patience. Buying peanuts that are already roasted but still in the shell is a bit cheaper (you can purchase a 3-pound bag for between $5-$7, which will yield about 5 half-pint jars of peanut butter). But if you're looking to save yourself the 30-45 minutes of shelling and skinning 1 pound of these slippery little suckers - I would recommend buying a container of dry roasted, unsalted peanuts that are already naked.

This recipe is flavored with a bit of cinnamon and some honey - if you like your peanut butter unsweetened, you could certainly leave out the honey. If you like it sweeter, add more honey to taste. You could also leave out the cinnamon and just have plain peanut butter. It's delicious either way. Promise.

Honey Cinnamon Peanut Butter

Prep Time: 30-40 minutes

• 15 oz Roasted Peanuts, shelled and skinned (don't weigh them in the shells first, weigh them after they've been shelled, or you'll end up with too few)
• 2 tsp Honey
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 2-3 Tbsp Peanut Oil
• 3/4 tsp ground Cinnamon

1. Measure out 1/2 cup of peanuts and set aside. Reserving these until the end will result in a chunky peanut butter. For smoother peanut butter, skip this step and place all of the peanuts in the food processor and begin with Step 2.
2. Place remainder of peanuts, honey, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process continually for about 1-minute.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and replace lid. Turn processor on and slowly pour in 2 Tbsp of peanut oil - allowing processor to continue to run until the butter is smooth.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and add the cinnamon. Process until combined, 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. If the nut butter looks dry or is not coming together, add more peanut oil 1/2 Tbsp at a time. Pour in while processor is running, as before, until butter comes together and resembles the consistency of store-bought peanut butter. Peanut butter should have an oily sheen and be spreadable, but not too runny.
5. Add the reserved 1/2 cup of peanuts and pulse until slightly broken down and combined, 10-12 times.
6. Spoon into mason jars or another air-tight container. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months - although I don't think it will last that long!

*Adapted from: Alton Brown*

~ NOTE: To cut down on overall prep time, use peanuts that have already been shelled/skinned. I would recommend dry-roasted peanuts that are unsalted.

Happy gluten-free cooking!