Food is Fuel Fridays - Week Three

Today, I am preparing to invade the family home of The UrbanMomtogrpaher with MY family. This lovely lady has offered us the joy of eating her wonderful cooking tonight for dinner. So I thought, what can I write about, hmmm... Eureka! I shall write about a snack that I make from time to time. It is close to my heart and my Greek heritage. HUMMUS

Hummus is one of my favorite snacks. I love to make it. I love to eat it. I love to share it (Because, if you don't you'll be the only one in the house with garlic breath, and that's just not pretty)

Hummus is a very healthy snack. It is simple to make and it contains both carbohydrates and protein. There's not too much fat in it either, which is nice. The only fat, really, in hummus comes from the Olive Oil. Olive Oil is one of THEE healthiest cooking oils. I will do a whole thing on that one day. *As a side note, I used to have roommates who didn't understand or care for the value of Olive Oil... they used to use about half a bottle of extra virgin Olive Oil, which they Burnt to fry their potatoes, which they threw out half way through... every Sunday morning....glad those days are gone*

Anyways, back to the hummus. My recipe is very very simple. I throw it together lots for family gatherings or whenever I am bored and hungry.

Keep in mind, when I cook, I tend to eyeball *unless I'm baking*

1 can of Chick Peas, drained
1 large clove of garlic
about 1/2 to a tablespoon of Olive Oil (I prefer Extra Virgin)
the juice from a half a lemon
a pinch of Cumin to taste
a small handful of fresh spinach

I start with the chick peas in the the food processor until I can't break them down anymore. Then Add the garlic and Olive Oil and Lemon Juice. Pulse and mix this until smooth-ish. Sometimes you have to get in there with a rubber spatula and mix things up the old fashioned way to get all the big pieces blended. Start adding the spinach and cumin a little at a time. I always recommend tasting all the way through to make sure that you have a pleasant taste. Hummus should be a little spicy.

I always pair hummus with fresh celery and carrots. It digests faster that way and it tastes super good. Also, a nice addition if I may add are the Hemp and Sesame Toritlla Chips from Presiendt's Choice's Blue Menu.

This is a super tasty and effective snack to end craving. Little ones even love it. Here's a quick nutritional breakdown:

Chick Peas = Protein and Carbs
Olive = Monounsaturated Fats (AKA to good kind for you heart AND your butt)
Garlic = a great immune system boost
Spinach = a great source of Iron

Enjoy your Friday and enjoy your food. The best part about eating health consciously is not feeling guilty later. So indulge in some homemade healthy goodness today!!!