A Giveaway and My Hummus without Tahini Recipe

Today's $75 giveaway is sponsored by CSN stores. Many of you have now heard of CSN stores with their 200+ sites offering everything from cookware, to home decor. I would love to replace our old tv stand with one of their beautiful LCD TV stands. Thank you CSN Stores for sponsoring another giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:
- Open to US residents only (sorry to my international readers)
- Tell me if you like Hummus, and is there a special or interesting ingredient you add that is not found in a standard Hummus recipes? Then Pick a number between 1 and 300, leave a comment with your answer and chosen number.
* Please try to do a quick scan to make sure no one else has chosen that number. Also please don't leave links to recipes on other websites, those entries will be deleted.*

**OOPS forgot to say that the winner will be announced on Monday, March 21.**

Before we get to the recipe I wanted to thank you. Thank you for all the sweet messages of support you left in my announcement post about becoming a contributor for Honest Cooking. You guys are the best and your support and encouragement means so much. I'm sharing my Hummus without Tahini recipe here for those of you that missed it at Honest Cooking. Another thing I want to mention is the previous post, ways you can help the people of Japan during this horrendous catastrophe. Those of you that have helped both in monetary donations and words of solidarity, Muchas Gracias!

Recipe:
Hummus is a middle eastern spread or dip made mostly from white chickpeas (also know as garbanzo beans). Hummus has enjoyed great popularity in not only middle easter cuisine but also in Greek cuisine. In recent history it has gained popularity all over the world. Chickpeas have been used in the middle east since ancient times. Some believe that the earliest hummus recipes date back to the 13th century.

Recipes for hummus can vary greatly from country to country and home to home. This makes hummus one of those dishes that can easily be personalized according to taste. The most common ingredients are boiled chickpeas, tahini (sesame seed paste), olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, spices and herbs. All or any combination of ingredients is then ground to make a thick dip or spread and served cold. Hummus can be served as an appetizer with pita or any arab breads, as part of a Meze, it can be spread on sandwiches, or even served with fresh vegetables as a healthy snack. Hummus makes a healthy snack because the chickpeas are high in fiber, folic acid, a good source of iron, magnesium, copper and zinc. The lemon provides a good source of vitamin C and the olive oil is a source of healthy fat.

Tahini is an ingredient that can sometimes be hard to find. My recipe omits the tahini but still yields a delicious flavor with a lemony flavor.

Ingredients:
Serves 3-4

14 oz. or 400 g cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/4 cup or 60 ml reserved broth from boiling chickpeas or from can
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, (E.V.O. oil)
1 medium lemon (I used Meyer lemon) juiced about 3 tbsp juice
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. salt
pinch black pepper

to decorate:
olive oil
extra cooked chickpeas
paprika
parsley, dried or fresh

Tools:
immersion blender or regular blender
small bowl
serving bowl

1. In a small bowl combine lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Place drained chickpeas/garbanzo beans in blender, remember to reserve the broth. Pour 1/4 cup of the reserved broth and the lemon mixture into the blender. Pulse until you have a smooth thick paste. If needed, add extra broth or water to the blender to achieve the consistency needed. Taste and adjust spices if necessary. Pour the hummus into serving dish.

To decorate as in photo: Make a small well near the edge going in a circular motion. Pour some olive oil in the well, place some cooked chickpeas into the well and a few in the center of the dish. Sprinkle with paprika and fresh or dried parsley. Serve with pita and enjoy.

Too be continued.... And Good Luck!!