I LOVE Hummus.  I don’t need a cracker, a chip, or veggies to dip in it.  I just need a spoon.  I only wish a serving was more than 2 tablespoons…

So imagine my excitement when I spotted a recipe for Hummus Soup (click here for the recipe) in a recent issue of Prevention magazine in a feature with excerpts from Sheryl Crow’s new cookbook, If It Makes You Healthy.  With cancer as her “wake-up call” to eat better, she created this book along with her personal chef, Chuck White, to share their healthy, vitamin-rich recipes.

Yes! Thanks to Sheryl, Chuck, & Prevention, I’d get to eat a whole BOWL full of hummus!

Even better, this recipe was really easy to make.  You just throw all the ingredients into a blender (in two batches), then heat it up.

The soup is filling and makes a very satisfying meal with pita chips and a side salad.  I especially recommend pairing it with “Jerusalem Salad“, a refreshing blend of cucumbers, tomato, and parsley in a dressing of tahini & lemon juice.

Tip: Read the label when buying your beans.

Tip: Read the label when buying your beans.  Notice in the picture above the “firming agent” and ingredient for “color retention” which are in most cans of chickpeas.  I buy organic and think the color and texture are just fine without these added ingredients!

1: BEFORE BLENDER

2: DURING BLENDER

3. AFTER BLENDER

 

 

 

 

 

Tahini: Sesame Seed Paste

Tahini is a paste made of ground sesame seeds, and is a KEY ingredient in hummus.  A peanut-butter sized jar will cost about $6, but will make many many batches of hummus or hummus soup, and will stay fresh for months in the fridge. It’s easily found at health-food stores, but I actually found a lone jar at Dominick’s hidden amongst the peanut butter.

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE

 

The finished product: Hummus Soup, Jerusalem Salad & Pita Chips

Update: I also recently spotted the same recipe on the Oprah magazine website.  In this link they also provide a recipe for homemade cilantro-pesto and garlicky pita chips.  Yum!