hummus two ways

Since deciding to eat more of a plant based diet, I figured hummus would be a great thing to have in my fridge consistently, especially since it's so cheap and easy to make.  Plus, it's super easy to customize, which means you don't have to get bored with it!  It's seriously not worth buying hummus at the store, as you can make way more (and more delicious) hummus at home for a fraction of the price.  Hummus is great for dipping stuff but you can also add it to sandwiches and wraps in lieu of other condiments.  I'll be sharing a wrap recipe soon that uses hummus and you can use any kind of hummus in the wrap. I've used both of these hummus variations in the wrap, as well as plain hummus, and they all taste great!  Hummus is also one of those great things to bring to a potluck or dinner, and people will think you're super fancy if you tell them it's homemade (even though it's so easy to make).  I love that it's a healthy snack that doesn't have a ton of calories, but still is satisfying and great tasting.


Sriracha Hummus

Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas, drained (save a little of the fluid on the side)
2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp tahini
2-3 tbsp. Sriracha hot sauce (I'd start with less and add more depending on how spicy you like it)
salt and pepper to taste
paprika for garnish

Toss the chickpeas, Sriracha, and tahini in a food processor and blend. Slowly add olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice and blend to a smooth consistency. If the consistency is too thick, add some more lemon juice or some of the chickpea can fluid that you drained, or add more tahini if you find it isn't thick enough.  Sprinkle a little bit of paprika on top for garnish.  I think I used 3 tbsp of Sriracha, as I kind of like spicy things these days, but you could even go down to one tablespoon if you want just a hint of a kick.  This has a lot of flavor and I really like this version for dipping veggies as it gives them more than just a bland old dip as accompaniment.


Artichoke Hummus

1 can chickpeas,  drained (save a little of the fluid on the side)
1 can artichoke hearts , drained
2 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tbsp lemon juice
Paprika for garnish

Again, in a food processor, combine chickpeas, artichokes, and tahini and blend.  Slowly add olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice.  If artichoke hummus is too thick, slowly add the extra chickpea liquid until you reach your desired consistency.  I found that the artichoke hummus tended towards being too thick because of the added artichokes, while the sriracha hummus tended more towards being too thin.