Spicy hummus

Hummus is a popular food dip in the Middle East and North Africa. The name "hummus" is Arabic and it means "chickpeas". Traditionally hummus is made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic.

We really like hummus for its creamy taste, nutrition and various ways of serving. It can be used as a dip for veggies, appetizer, scooped on flat-bread or  served with falafel and salads.

There are as well various health benefits of adding hummus to your diet. These are the few of them (source: http://www.whfoods.com): 

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans): 

• high in protein: chickpeas contain 19grams of protein out of 100 grams, which makes them a perfect plant based source of protein
• high in iron: which is especially good for pregnant or lactating women
• high in dietary fiber (12.5grams in one cup) and have a low glycemic index (GI). The low GI value of 28 – 32 means that the carbohydrate is broken down and digested slowly, which keeps us feeling full longer. This makes chickpeas a perfect food for weight loss and help stabilize blood sugar levels 
• high in folate and magnesium, which may lower the risk of heart attack
• high in antioxidants, such as vitamin C, B6, vitamin E, beta-carotene, manganeze and phytonutrients. The antioxidants help reduce the risk of heart disease, especially coronary heart disease. 

 
Tahini (sesame seed paste):

• is an excellent source of copper, which reduces the pain and swelling of rheumatoid arthritis
• a very good source of manganese
• high in protein: 18grams of protein in 100grams
• and a good source of magnesium, which supports vascular and respiratory health
• one of the best sources of calcium (with hulls remaining), which help prevent colon cancer, osteoporosis, PMS and migraine
• phosphorus,vitamin B6, iron, zinc (for bone health) and selenium
• rich in phytosterols, which help to reduce the blood levels of cholesterol

These are some of the health benefits of eating hummus next to it's delicious taste.  A must try, I would say ;)
We took the original recipe and added some spices. The result was more than we expected: a creamy, nutty, delicious spicy dip...

What will you need:
- 500 grams of cooked chickpeas

- 5 tbsp olive oil

- 2 tbsp Tahini (sesame seed paste)

- 1 1/2 lemon juice

- 6 big cloves of garlic

- 1/2 tsp white pepper

- 1/2 tsp black pepper

- 1/2 tsp cumin powder

- 1 1/2 tsp chili sauce

- 1 tsp Provencal herbs

- 1 tbsp salt

Place all ingredients in the food processor and process till a creamy paste is formed. Adjust salt and spices according to taste. 

Enjoy :)