Hummus, a Middle Eastern spread made with cooked, mashed chickpeas, lemon, garlic and spices, is spelled about eight different ways, but no matter how you choose to spell this popular dip, it’s delicious, healthy and simple to make.

Each bite of hummus is packed with nutrition, high in iron, vitamin C, folate and vitamin B6. Chickpeas make this dish a good source of protein and fiber and, depending on the recipe, it can be a good source of monounsaturated fat.

Going meatless on Monday? Just want to try something new? Hummus is the way to go! Check out my [lightbox href=”http://youtu.be/PBK81yKFcxU”]TV segment[/lightbox] on Daytime to see how it’s done!

TINA’S HOMEMADE HUMMUS

Ingredients

2 cups garbanzo beans, cooked
1/4 cup reserved garbanzo bean liquid
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/3 cup Tahini
3 to 4 Tablespoons lemon juice
4 drops hot pepper sauce
Olive oil
Paprika
Parsley, chopped (optional)

Directions

Place all ingredients except the olive oil and paprika in a food processor. Pulse until smooth but still granular. Pour hummus into a plate or bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and parsley, if using.