Lemon Ginger Hummus with Homemade Pita Chips

I am a hummus lover.  I will try any kind you can throw at my and I generally like all types.  This recipe is one of my favorites that I have made.  I originally made it for a staff meeting where I used to work and it was a big hit.  I paired it with these homemade pita chips that I came up with by simply combining some of my favorite spices.  Let me tell you, the marriage of the two is fabulous.  The lemon and ginger really mesh well with the spices in the pita chips.  Here are the recipes!  Enjoy!

Lemon Ginger Hummus

2 (15 oz.) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 medium lemons, juiced and zested (or 7 Tbs. lemon juice)

½ tsp salt

1" piece of ginger, peeled and minced finely (I use my zester to grate the ginger)

pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in food processor until desired texture is achieved. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so before serving.

Pita Chips 

4 Whole-Wheat pitas, cut into triangle pieces

2 Tbs. olive oil

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. ground coriander

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. garlic salt

View full reci Place pita triangles on a baking sheet. Mix oil and spices together in a bowl.  Use a basting brush to coat oil mixture on both sides of the pita triangles. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until golden and slightly crisp.

Chipotle Cilantro Hummus

It is about time that I posted about hummus. I am a huge fan of hummus. It is a great dip for chips, pita, or veggies and is also great as a spread for pizzas and sandwiches. Not to mention, it is a healthy snack. Hummus traditionally uses olive oil and/or tahini (made from sesame seeds) which are mostly comprised of healthy monounsaturated fats. Consuming monounsaturated fats is one of the most effective dietary changes a person can make to increase HDL (good) cholesterol. For my Lifestyle and Chronic Disease Prevention class, I have to improve my own cholesterol levels, my HDL in particular. So I may end up making (and eating) a lot of hummus this semester. Increasing duration and intensity of exercise is even more effective, so I am working on that as well.
I found this hummus recipe about a year ago from 28 cooks and decided to try it out. It is Landon's favorite hummus of all time, and I love it as well. Hope you enjoy!

Chipolte Cilantro Hummus
2 (15 oz) cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 canned chipolte chiles, and
1 tbsp adobo sauce
1 clove garlic
1/2 c olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tbsp cilantro

Puree chipolte chiles and adobo sauce in a food processor until well minced. Add garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas), garlic, and cumin and process until smooth. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until well mixed. Add cilantro and pulse a few times. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so for flavors to make friends.

You can find chipotle chiles canned in abodo sauce in the Mexican section of your local grocery store.

*This hummus has some kick to it, if you do not like much "kick," use fewer chiles.

Ratings (scale of 0-10)
Landon: 9.8
Katherine: 9