Adventures in Cooking - Hummus

I am a nut for garbanzo beans. Always have been, always will be. I suspect part of my love of garbanzo beans is the name - garbanzo. It's funny, and makes me think of Gonzo from The Muppets.

When I was little I called them chick peas, because I guess "garbanzo" was hard to say. It took me awhile to realize that the two are the same thing, actually.

I've also liked hummus for awhile. I found it in the grocery store one day and got really curious. It didn't look especially appetizing, but how do you turn down garbanzos and garlic? It's a match made in heaven, really.

Ever since I got my baby food processor (with the plans of making pesto - which never happened), I've been itching to make some hummus. All the recipes I found called for tahini, which is crazy expensive where I live. I can't justify spending that much money for a dip (even one that I love enough to marry). I mean, I could buy store-made hummus cheaper than I could buy the tahini, nevermind the rest of the ingredients.

So when I found the recipe for tahini-free hummus, OF COURSE I had to try it!

BASIL AND PESTO HUMMUS

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 oz.) can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup basil leaves
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. EVOO
1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Combine garbanzo beans, basil, and garlic in food processor. Pulse several times.
2) Use a spatula to push mixture from the sides of the bowl.
3) Pulse mixture again while drizzling in the olive oil.
4) Add the vinegar and soy sauce. Pulse until combined.
5) Season with salt and pepper.
6) Serve and enjoy!

WHAT I DID DIFFERENTLY
This recipe needs a LOT more EVOO to really come together. I don't have an exact measurement of how much I used - I just kind of poured it in until the consistency looked right.
The hummus also needed a little punch to kind of brighten it up, so I squeezed in a little lemon juice - I squeezed in the juice from 1/4 of a lemon. It really helped everything go to a whole other level. It was complex without being overpowering or too heavy. Really tasty.

THE BOTTOM LINE
Easy easy easy to make. Relatively cheap, too. I plan on gifting this to friends, it is so easy and delicious.