Green Hummus

Have any of you seen the Brian Regan bit about how cranberries are getting into everything? Well, first of all, it’s pretty funny, and second, I’m kinda feeling that way about spinach. But you know, I’m ok with spinach getting into everything. It’s so good for you, and it’s one of the few vegetables I can sneak into my two-year-old’s diet.

This recipe came from the week we took our son off dairy to see if that was the cause of some tummy troubles. And let me tell you, taking a kid off diary whose favorite food is cheese is quite a task! I had to get pretty creative, especially getting protein and calcium into him. Hence the green hummus.

•      Chickpeas have lots of protein (and almost no saturated fat), and spinach has lots of calcium (and about           every other vitamin you can think of)!

And it was also really tasty, really healthy, really easy to make, and my little guy gobbled up his “green sauce” and asked for more!

One other thing that’s nice about this recipe – in addition to being very healthy and fresh, it’s also dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free, which I know is a big issue for a lot of people.

Oh, and did I mention that it’s super fast and easy to make? Well, it is! All you have to do is dump all the ingredients in a blender or food processor! I didn’t even measure the spinach – I just put the other ingredients in first, and then filled it with as much spinach as I could.

Just blend it all up, scraping down the sides occasionally. If it’s too thick/dry, add a tablespoon or two of water.

Green Hummus

Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) (I used low-sodium)
2 Tbsp lime juice (about 1 lime)
2 Tbsp tahini or sesame seeds
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1-2 cups spinach leaves
salt and pepper to taste
water (if needed)

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. (I didn’t measure the spinach, I basically just filled the rest of the food processor with as much as would fit.)

2. Blend all ingredients until smooth, stopping and scraping down the sides as needed. If it seems too thick, add a little water for a smoother consistency.

3. Serve with pita chips, veggie chips, crackers, vegetables, etc.

You could also add roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes, a clove of garlic, or fresh cilantro for a little variety.