Healthy Snacks

Simple Hummus Without Tahini

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Simple Hummus Without Tahini

  • 5 MINUTES
  • MAKES 3 CUPS
  • EASY-PEASY

Say yes to simple hummus without tahini! This healthy vegetarian dip is super yummy, easy and budget-friendly. The hummus recipe features 4 ingredients: chickpeas, extra virgin olive oil, salt and lime/lemon juice. Just throw it all into a food processor/blender and enjoy this homemade hummus in less than 5 minutes. Yum! 

SIMPLE HUMMUS WITHOUT TAHINI:

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SIMPLE HUMMUS WITHOUT TAHINI:

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chickpeas (also known as Garbanzo beans), unsalted, well-rinsed
  • 3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (unrefined flax oil will work too) 
  • 1 teaspoon salt (I like Himalayan pink)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice  
  • OPTIONAL: garlic (I used 2 large cloves) 

SIMPLE HUMMUS WITHOUT TAHINI:

Directions

  • Put all ingredients into a food processor or a blender. 
  • Mix everything between 4 – 5 minutes to make it extra smooth. 
  • Taste & add salt/lime/garlic as desired. 

CONSISTENCY TIP

Check the consistency halfway through the blend and if the mix is too thick and chunky looking, add some liquid (sauerkraut juice, lemon juice, liquid whey, balsamic vinegar). The end result shouldn't be too runny nor too thick. Although, each to their own right? 

SERVING TIP

Serve as healthy dip with fresh veggies (carrots, celery sticks, broccoli, peppers) or add to your healthy sandwiches & wraps.

REGARDING DRIED CHICK PEAS

Feel free to cook dried chickpeas instead of using the canned version. Simply soak dried chickpeas for 24 hrs with one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, and cook in fresh, filtered water until soft (about 4 hrs). You may use a slow cooker if you prefer.  

TAHINI SUBSTITUTE TIP

If you're not using tahini because you find it expensive, try adding a 1/4 cup of freshly ground sesame seeds to your mix before blending. It works!

Why it's best to avoid pre-made hummus?

One of the main reasons why you should make your own hummus is to avoid many dangerous food additives, which are added to almost all pre-made foods. Hummus is no exception! You can find harmful flavor enhancers (MSG), preservatives (Sodium Benzoate), damaged industrial oils (canola/soybean) and more on the ingredient label! When in fact, a basic hummus recipe calls for just 3 ingredients: chickpeas, salt and olive oil. Just make a fresh batch each week, store it in the fridge and know that what you or your family snack on is ultimately healthy & nutritious! 

Ahoy, I'm Eva!

Using my holistic nutrition savvy and psycho-spiritual point of view, I help you find and unapologetically follow your own nutritional mojo.
Stop Talking, Start Improving Your Diet for Health | Holistic Nutritionist in Canada | EPIC HOLISTIC
The Holistic Nutritionist behind Epicholistic.com

Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese Recipe: Homemade Cream Cheese

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Garlic & Herb Cream Cheese

  • 5 MINUTES
  • MAKES 2 CUPS
  • EASY-PEASY

Making garlic & herb cream cheese spread from homemade cream cheese is a piece of cake!  The best part? It’s free of harmful additives, nutritious, tasty and super quick to make. Your family and friends will love you for it!

Contents

Video Recipe:

Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese Recipe

STEP 1: Make the Cream Cheese

If you prefer to use commercial cream cheese, skip to step #2 for further instructions. If you prefer to make your own, then you’ll need to separate the milk solids from the liquid whey to make the cream cheese at home. 

You'll Need:

  • 1 kg of plain, unsweetened yogurt or kefir (organic is best)
  • a clean tea towel (see the variation tip below for using a cheese cloth)
  • a strainer
  • a dripping bowl
  • a lid that will fit on top of the strainer

Instructions:

  • Place the strainer on top of the bowl.
  • Line the strainer with the clean tea towel.
  • Transfer the yogurt or kefir into the lined strainer.
  • Cover with a lid and let sit for about 12 hours at room temperature (do not transfer it in the fridge, leave it on the kitchen counter).

VARIATION TIP

If you're using cheese cloth instead of a tea towel, you can use the following two methods: 1, simply transfer the yogurt or kefir into the cloth. Tigh the cloth onto a hook (cupboard handle) so it remains elevated. Place a bowl underneath the cloth to allow the liquid whey to drip into it. 2, Using a tall jar will work also. Just tigh the cloth onto a wooden spoon and lay the spoon on the jar's rim. The cloth will be inside the jar but elevated and hanging off the wooden spoon so the whey will easily drip off.

Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese Recipe

STEP 2: Store the Liquid Whey

After 12 hours, the milk solids should be free of liquid whey, which fully dripped into the bowl. 

What's liquid whey good for and what to do with it?

The liquid whey can be used in many ways. First, you can swap water or milk for liquid whey to boost the nourishing power of your shakes. Second, liquid whey can be used as a starter culture for lacto-fermented foods like sauerkraut or kimchi. Finally, you can add one tablespoon of liquid whey to a glass of room temperature water to help and settle the stomach.

Storage Instructions:

Simply transfer the liquid whey into a closable jar and keep in the fridge tightly sealed. It will last for up to 6 months and you can use the extra whey as per the examples above. 

Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese Recipe

STEP 3: Make the Garlic & Herb Spread

It will take you less than 5 minutes to make the garlic and herb cream spread. 

You'll Need:

  • Fresh herbs to taste (I’m using chives & dill)
  • Garlic to taste (I’m using 4 medium size cloves of garlic  for this batch)
  • A pinch of nutrient dense salt (I’m using Himalayan salt)
  • A mixing bowl
  • A spatula
  • A closable food box for storage (I like glass)

Instructions:

  • Mix all ingredients!
  • Store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge (consume within a week). 

CONSISTENCY TIP

Have the liquid whey handy in case the spread is too thick and you want to make it "runnier". I find that thinner texture is great for dips and thicker consistency works for sandwiches.

Ahoy, I'm Eva!

Using my holistic nutrition savvy and psycho-spiritual point of view, I help you find and unapologetically follow your own nutritional mojo.
Stop Talking, Start Improving Your Diet for Health | Holistic Nutritionist in Canada | EPIC HOLISTIC
The Holistic Nutritionist behind Epicholistic.com