DIY Hummus

There really isn't a bad thing to say about hummus. It is one of the most popular spreads in all of mediterranean cooking, and comes in dozens of different flavors from cilantro to horseradish. But for as popular as the spread is, people who work in grocery stores hear all the time from people that want to make their own the popular question, "What is it?"

Hummus is basically a paste made from some kind of legume. Edamame and white kindey beans are great, but most often the spead is made from chickpeas (or garbonzo beans). Canned beans work fine and save a lot of time in the end. The best reason to make hummus from scratch is to add different flavors, not to mention it is way more affordable to make than to buy. It can be lemony and fresh, spicy or classic and simple. The best way to add the flavor to the beans is to heat the beans in a saucepan (after draining) and add whatever spices and flavors happen to sound good that day. Good combinations and jumping off points are:

- juice of one lemon, sprinkle of dried oregano, thyme, salt and pepper

- 2 roasted red peppers, sprinkle of red chile flakes, garlic powder, corriander and salt

- a spoonful of sun dried tomatoes, black olives, garlic powder, basil and salt and pepper

- 2 green onions, garlic powder, ground ginger, white pepper (careful, it is more potent than black pepper) and soy sauce

Bring the beans and additions to a simmer and then take off the heat. Hummus can be made with tahini (a sesame paste) but doesn't have to be. To leave it out saves a lot of calories and fat.

Blending the hummus can be done with a blender, food processor or hand immersion blender. The best strategy is to get the mixture blended about 70 percent done, and start streaming in extra virgin olive oil slowly and continue blending. Add about 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil over the course of blending the spread. Hummus can be chunky or super smooth depending on personal tastes. Taste the dip at the very end to make sure seasonings are right, adding salt or pepper where necessary.

Serve in a dish with an extra drizzle of olive oil (optional). Hummus goes on wraps with sprouts and veggies, with pita or naan bread or fresh and crispy veggies.

> Curious about the nutrition of certain ingredients? This website is a fabulous resource that gives amazing information for those interested in the caloric breakdown of foods, glycemic indexes, etc. Just type in a food and start learning.

> Need to know what an ingredient is? The Food Lover's Companion is the best written guide, but epicurious.com's Food Dictionary is a sure-fire way to learn more about ingredients. They even have a wine dictionary for the best advice on pairings.