Falafel

Falafel is very popular in the Middle East as a fast food. Vendors sell it on the street corners in Cairo. As a main dish, it is served as a sandwich, stuffed in pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and tahini. As an appetizer, it is served on a salad, or with hummus and tahini. Falafel is a favorite among vegetarians.

INGREDIENTS:
* 1 cup dried chickpeas or 16 oz. can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans.
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
* 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
* 1 teaspoon coriander
* 1 teaspoon cumin

Black Bean Hummus

Although black beans are not usually included in Middle Eastern cooking, they make such a nice alternative to chickpeas in hummus. Black beans are also very healthy and high in anti-oxidants.

INGREDIENTS:
* 1 can black beans, drained (15 oz)
* 1/4 cup tahini
* 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1/4 tablespoon lime juice

Hummus 101

Hummus is a dip/spread that is made from chickpeas. In fact, hummus is the Arabic word for chickpea. You may notice that many hummus recipes call for garbanzo beans, not chickpeas. Don’t worry, garbanzo is the Spanish translation of chickpea. They are called cece beans in Italy.

Hummus is one of the oldest foods dating back to ancient Egypt. We know that chickpeas were used quite frequently over 7,000 years ago.

Hummus is also popular in Greek culture. It is commonly called hommos.

Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

Sun dried tomatoes are the ultimate way to add a little variation to hummus. Thisis one of the most popular flavors and it is even easier to make!

INGREDIENTS:
* 1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas (15 oz.), drained
* 3 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes in oil
* 2 tablespoons roasted garlic
* 2 teaspoons parsley
* 2 tablespoons olive oil

Spinach Hummus

Spinach hummus is a delicious variation of Traditional Middle Eastern hummus. This recipe is super easy and is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

INGREDIENTS:
* 1 can garbanzo beans/chickpeas (15 oz), drained
* 1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped
* 1/4 cup tahini
* 2 tablespoons garlic
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Italian White Bean Hummus

In North America, hummus is one of the most popular and loved dishes from the Mediterranean and Middle East regions. It’s an exotic blend of pureed chickpeas or other fleshy beans, lemon, sesame tahini, and oil. Spices such as roasted garlic, roasted red peppers, scallion, and dill are sometimes added for a flavor twist.

Hummus is traditionally used as a dip for pita bread, corn chips, crackers, or fresh-cut vegetables. Many people use hummus as a spread on sandwiches to substitute mayonnaise or as a main ingredient in a vegetarian sandwich.

This Italian White Bean Hummus recipe is delicious and very versatile. I suggest making a batch on the weekend and then using it throughout the week in sandwiches, as a dip for pre-cut and cleaned veggies like carrot sticks, celery sticks, or broccoli, on toast, or as a substitute for mayo.

Green Avocado Hummus

This is a delicious and unusual hummus recipe that comes courtesy of Linda McCartney (with a few changes). She notes that adding a few chopped fresh spinach leaves will enhance the green color.

1 (16 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed
1-1/2 teaspoons tahini
1/2 lemon, juice of
2 tablespoons sour cream
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil