Artichoke hummus (and a book review) Recipe
I came upon this recipe for artichoke
hummus in an unusual way. Knowing that The Ninj enjoys cooking and
living in a generally healthy way, a college friend of mine asked me
if I'd like to review a lifestyle book to which she had contributed.
Since she herself is an awesome writer, of course I agreed to check
it out.
So what does this have to do with
hummus, you may be asking? Don't worry, I'll get there.
The book turned out to be Vibrant Living by Molly Shattuck, a health and fitness advocate and
philanthropist from Baltimore who has designed a program to help
people embrace a healthier lifestyle in 21 days.
Now, bear with me – I, too, was
skeptical. I'm not an advocate of fad diets or “fix your life in 3
easy steps” kind of crap. You know me by now. My motto is
everything in moderation: I think we often sabotage our efforts to be
healthier and fitter by shunning every single “bad” food or by only
eating restrictive, special diets that are too difficult to maintain,
as well as setting unrealistic fitness goals.
I'm happy to report that Molly's ideals
are quite similar (good thing, or it would have made for some awkward
that being fitter and eating better involves a fundamental lifestyle
a packaged meal plan or to eat crazy-ass food. Her program emphasizes
taking 21 days to establish a new routine of daily exercise (she
includes easy-to-follow workout plans that don't require more than a
pair of sneakers) and, my favorite part, eating “real”,
unprocessed food.
Hellz yeah, Molly! High five from The
Ninj.
Which brings us, at long last, to the
artichoke hummus (See? I told you I would get here).
To help you along on the 21-day program, the book
includes some of Molly's favorite easy recipes, from entrees and desserts
to snacks and appetizers. I whipped up a batch of her artichoke
hummus and loved it; not only did we eat it with brown rice crackers
and veggie sticks but I also used it as a pizza “sauce”, topped with
cooked chicken, spinach, sundried tomatoes and mozzarella cheese –
delish!
(BTW, Mr. Ninj has "issues" with artichokes so I didn't tell him what was in the hummus. Surprise: he loved it.)
If you know someone that could use a
little coaching and guidance on how to start eating better and
beginning an achievable fitness routine, Vibrant Living would make a
great gift.
Now, go make some of this hummus!
Artichoke Hummus (slightly adapted from Molly Shattuck's Vibrant Living)
Note: This makes a boatload of hummus, good for a party or several days worth of snacking. Go ahead and half the recipe if you'd like.
Ingredients:
- 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped (I chop them in the can using kitchen shears)
- 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 - 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprkia
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- salt and pepper
Directions:
Place all the ingredients EXCEPT the basil in a food processor and whirl the crap out of it until it's smooth. If it's too thick, add some water, about a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. Scrape into a bowl and mix in the basil. Add salt and pepper to taste (it won't need much). Serve with rice crackers or crunchy veggies like cucumbers, carrots and celery.