Fresh Festive Foods for Christmas
When I used to work in the Michigan Senate doing legislative work, I would occasionally visit a Mediterranean type restaurant on Fridays. It felt like a real treat because I usually brought my lunch and Fridays were a slower non-session day where I had more time to enjoy the walk over and special food.
I came to love the chicken shawarma and hummus, so I asked the head guy if he could tell me any secrets for making great smooth and creamy hummus. He shared that they cooked their own chickpeas and added some baking soda to make it extra creamy and smooth.
Fast forward to now, and I love having yummy hummus in my fridge to grab for healthy snacks. When I saw a hummus Christmas wreath recently, I had to try it, so the kids and I whipped it up with hummus I had in the fridge.
We took the hummus wreath and a fruit wreath the kids made to a Christmas party this week, and the fruit wreath was a hit with the kids. I love to see kids grab up fruits!
And the moms loved the hummus wreath and asked for the recipe. It has a nice lemon taste plus a little unexpected ingredient that I love! So here it is below for you and the mamas who asked about it.
First, let me say, that my preference is to cook the chickpeas ahead of time in the slow cooker and portion them into smaller packages in the freezer to grab out and make a batch when I need it. This is more cost effective and avoids any extra additives that are in canned beans. But, if you're not interested in cooking the garbanzo beans, you can used canned beans.
But to cook them....I have been using these chickpeas or garbanzo beans and cooking them in the slow cooker using these directions which also includes baking soda as the Mediterranean chef recommended.
I usually double the recipe in my slow cooker to make a big batch and then freeze them in 2 or 3 cup increments. I will grab out a bag and let it thaw to have ready to use for this recipe below.
INGREDIENTS
3 cups cooked chickpeas (this is about 2 cans (drained) if using canned beans)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1.5 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
4 garlic cloves
I combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and process it up until smooth and creamy although you may want to add your lemon juice and EVOO in 1/4 cup increments to hit the right consistency for what you like. This varies based on consistency of the chickpeas and on how soft they are. You may end up using a little less or more than I say here. Just adjust by taste to what you most prefer on the liquids and the salt/cumin. I've added up to 3/4 cup of lemon juice and olive oil to reach the right sort of hummus that I like.
I just spread the hummus around a circular tray and topped it with chopped parsley and some halved grape or cherry tomatoes. So easy! And you can serve with with veggies, chips, or crackers. I used Sieta chips for this tray because several of the kids (and I) at the party eat gluten free. These are especially nice as they are corn free. I've wanted to try these tortilla chips for a while, but they've seemed pricey when I've seen them online. I came across a larger bag at Costco and decided to try them out as a treat. It was love at first bite! They are light and airy--really delicious! Even my kids ask for them! I'm sharing a link to the Siete chips here so you can see what they are if interested.
Wishing you a very Merry Merry Christmas and hope you remember that Jesus is the best present like my littlest lady and I were reminded as we heard this song (The Present by Forest Frank) while working in the kitchen this morning.
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