Creamy Mediterranean Hummus

I've done the super food thing now for two weeks and have found it not much of a departure from my regular diet.  I lost 1 pound; no dairy or gluten probably contributed to that.  This was more about eliminating the not so super foods, butter, cheese, red meat, refined flour and sugar.  I had my first bite of  red meat last night officially ending the super foods gig.  Boy, it tasted good but I did find myself passing up the bread and butter.  Two weeks of super foods reminded me to be more mindful of what goes in.  The real challenge was enhancing flavor and satisfaction.  Super foods by themselves are fairly boring.  It's the fats and sugars that create more complex flavors and leave us feeling full and satisfied.  My conclusion -  same old thing, it's all about balance and moderation.

The Mediterranean Diet has been in the news lately, touting all the benefits of olive oil.  So here is a recipe that covers a lot of healthy diet issues and is always popular.  Hummus.

1 15 oz can chickpeas or garbanzo beans
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbls olive oil, more for serving
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1  tbls water
paprika to garnish or a dash in with the spices (I used smoked paprika)

Rinse and drain the chickpeas.  If you have the patience remove the skins. Just give each a gentle rub between your fingers.  This makes for a smoother texture.  Add the ingredients to a food processor in this order:

1. tahini & lemon juice(process for 1 minute)
2. chickpeas, garlic, salt & cumin (process again)
3. Olive oil added through feed tube
4. Water, through the feed tube