White Beans as a Chickpea Alternative

White Beans as a Chickpea Alternative

Jul 23, 2018 | All About Hummus, Hummus Variations, Middle Eastern Dips, White Beans

Everyone loves hummus. It’s great as a dip or as a standalone dish by itself. However, there are some of us who are allergic to chickpeas – a major component of hummus. Does that mean you give up on this Levantine dish? Not really, because you can substitute white beans as a chickpea alternative! There are plenty of varieties of white beans and each one has it’s own health benefits. 

While chickpea is the ideal ingredient when making hummus, you can always pick other varieties of white beans as a substitute. You may use equal amounts like you would do with chickpeas and you’d still get a delicious tasting hummus.

White Beans - For the Love of Hummus

Which Type Should You Pick?

When you shop for this type of bean, you will notice that there are more than one type – as a matter of fact, there are four kinds! These are the types of white beans and how to distinguish one from the other.


Navy Beans/ Pea Beans – these are small, oval-shaped beans that have the most fiber out of all the variants, with 19 grams per cup to be exact

Great Northern Beans – these are medium-sized beans popular for its firm flesh and nutty flavor

Cannellini Beans – also known as white kidney beans due to its shape, it is the largest of the bunch

Baby Lima Beans – these are known as small creamy beans with a buttery texture, thus the moniker “butterbeans”

The truth is, however, that you can use them interchangeably, so depending on your taste, you can choose one of them as a substitute for chickpeas.

Benefits of White Beans

White beans are bursting with fibre, and if you eat them, your bowels will thank you. You can check out our guide below which will help you choose the right bean for your next dip. With flavors ranging from nutty to meaty, white beans are useful in so many dishes, not just dips.

Just because you make your dip with other beans doesn’t mean its any less nutritious! Some of the health benefits of white beans include the following:

– They are high in plant-based protein, which is essential for muscle building

– It is great for bone development because of its high calcium content

– It promotes regular bowel because it is a natural source of fiber

– White beans can help regulate sugar levels while boosting energy

– It also has a decent amount of vitamin C, potassium, and folate

So you see, there are plenty of ways to enjoy hummus. Not a fan of chickpeas? Then white beans are your best bet.

4 Types of White Beans Infographic - For the Love of Hummus
Tabouli: Its History and Health Benefits

Tabouli: Its History and Health Benefits

Jul 26, 2017 | All About Hummus, Recipes, Sides, Tabouli

Lets explore Tabouli: Its History and Health Benefits so we all know it’s origins. Tabouli is a healthy food that has shown up on the menu in many cultures around the world in modern times.

Food is rarely left out of the picture in every household around the world. Every recipe served in different countries is customized to fit those who consume this super healthy dish. While this is good and creative, this sometimes makes us forget where a certain delicacy really originated from, and one of which is tabouli.

Its History and Health Benefits

What’s Tabouli?

Tabouli, or also spelled as Tabbouleh, is a Levantine vegetarian dish which is also considered as a salad. It has many variations of ingredients, making it a favorite for those who love unique concoctions.

This dish is also known to be a traditional part of diets in the Arab countries. Armenians and Turks have also adapted the recipe and made revisions to make it more appealing to their taste. Tabbouleh

 has many health benefits and as such is currently growing in popularity in western cultures.

Where did it Originate?

While every place has their own version, the original recipe of tabouli came from the mountains of Lebanon and Syria, and it was an important part of their diet during the Middle Ages. While it was criticized before due to its lack of meat components, it still rose to fame because of its health benefits and taste as well.

In today’s current era, it is well-known as a Lebanese dish that speaks of their identity. It has never left the table of every home, and, as you know, has now made its way to different parts of the world.

Health Benefits of TabouliIts History and Health Benefits

Ever since the dish was created, tabouli gained its appeal for being a healthy dish. It owes it in large part from the ingredients in making this Levantine salad.

Here are some of its ingredients and benefits:

  • Bulgur – low fat content, high fiber and protein
  • Onion – has cardiovascular, respiratory, and anti-cancer properties
  • Garlic – natural antibiotic, manages cholesterol and hypertension
  • Parsley – great source of vitamins and minerals
  • Peppermint – major natural treatment for common gastrointestinal problems
  • Cucumbers – rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals
  • Tomatoes – helps improve bone mass, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
  • Lemon juice – aids in food digestion and cleanses the liver
  • Olive oil – helps combat the development of diabetes
  • Allspice – relieves mild pain and treats infections

Now that’s a lot of benefits packed in a simple salad! It just gives you all the more reasons to try it once in awhile. Tabouli is often served with hummus and prepared meats such as lamb or chicken. Working perfectly together, as a healthy salad alternative for western plates.

Tabouli-History and health benefits

5 Popular Hummus Recipes on the Internet You Should Try

5 Popular Hummus Recipes on the Internet You Should Try

Jun 28, 2017 | All About Hummus, Basic Hummus, Hummus Ingredients, Hummus Video Recipes, Recipes, Tahini Recipes

5 Popular Hummus Recipes on the Internet You Should Try if you really do love hummus. We are pretty crazy about it, but truthfully we aren’t the only ones. There are literally thousands of websites that offer hummus recipes, but it’s basically the same basic ingredients with some geographical additions. We have heaps of different ideas on this site and we like to put just about anything with it to improve it. After all, we don’t want to get tired of it, do we?

Culinary Revolution

Food has been one of the most basic physiologic needs that man cannot do without, but what started as a mere need for sustenance has evolved with sophistication and class. With the culinary revolution throughout generations, variations and combinations were made, thus the hummus was born. It has been around for so long and has been eaten in so many parts of the world. 

Hummus does not necessarily have to be the main dish, but it does form a very important part of the meal. Generally it is also used as a dip or spread which is used in so many cultures.

5-Hummus-Recipes you should try

Hummus Ingredients

Hummus is made primarily with chickpeas and tahini, while the other components vary from one recipe to another depending on your tastes and those dining at your table. These can include garlic, lemon or lime and sumac.

This exceptional appetizer has made waves everywhere that people are further enriching it while sharing their creations, where else, but on the web. Here are five must-try recipes that can easily be found on the internet.

Classic Dip

The first one features the hummus as a classic dip that can be prepared by anyone. By mixing the two staple ingredients with ground cumin, crushed garlic cloves, lemon juice, olive oil, and baby coriander leaves, it works best as a partner to Turkish bread. This is a great preparation for entertaining guests.

Better than Store Bought

While there are those that can easily be purchased instead of home-prepared, there is another recipe that confidently says it might be better than store-bought hummus. There is no other way to prove such an argument but to try following the step-by-step instructions, so if you are up for it then you might as well give it a go.

Trade Secrets

The secret to making a better-tasting hummus is in the order of adding the ingredients. Another way to make it stand out from the commercial ones is by skinning the chickpeas. Also, this recipe gives you the option to add tahini or make adjustments should you choose to do away with it, providing you a free hand in concocting your own hummus.

Chicpea and tahini make hummus tasty

Basic Hummus

For those who are simply starting to learn how to make hummus, here is a basic recipe that you can follow. The required ingredients are chickpeas, tahini, garlic cloves, sea salt, olive oil, and lemon juice. After mastering the basic concept of preparing hummus, you can let your imagination run wild and experiment with the flavor and texture.

Basic hummus recipe

If you wish to pick a different ingredient other than chickpeas, this unique hummus recipe suggests that you can use garbanzo beans instead. You also have the option to add a dash of cayenne pepper to make the dip spicier. Also, apparently you can keep it in the freezer for one month and just add a little olive oil if it becomes too dry.

Lastly, the food safari hummus recipe suggests preparation ahead of time, but the effort is well worth it. Soaking the chickpeas in water and bicarbonate soda a day before making the hummus makes it very soft and can easily be blended with other ingredients. If you have time to do this, then this may give a different culinary experience.

There are a lot of ways to prepare hummus, but ultimately it’s who you enjoy it with that makes the difference.

Hummus for Weight Loss

Hummus for Weight Loss

Nov 12, 2014 | All About Hummus, Types of Hummus

Hummus for weight loss? There have been stranger things happen.

Our insatiable need to shake excess fat from our bodies has seen several weight loss diets creep into the health and fitness market during the last couple of years. Most of the time, these diets fail to help people lose those extra kilos, but some produce very satisfactory weight loss results. One of the weight loss ideas that have been found to be quite effective when it comes to reducing hunger pangs and food consumption is eating hummus regularly as part of a balanced diet. Incorporating hummus into your diet gives you a massive boost of protein and keeps you fuller for longer. You might also try eating tabbouleh to give you the greens your body needs.

Losing weight with healthy eatingWho invented it?

Hummus dip has its origin in the Middle East, with the main ingredients as olive oil, chickpeas, salt, garlic, tahini, and lemon juice. Humus serves as a snack or side fish, and offers you very tasty and nutritious variety to your weight loss diet plan. You can make humus a part of your daily food intakes to achieve better results.

Plan your daily food intake to incorporate humus as a way of reducing your calorie intakes. To maintain your weight, you need about 15 calories per pound of body weight to maintain your weight. This means you need about 500 calories less than this to shave 1 pound in a week. According to dieticians, humus provides you a better substitute to the Mayo-based condiments that are known to be very high in calorie counts. These high calorie condiments make a dent on your weight loss diet plans by adding the weight back on in the form of low nutrient calories.

 

How to Eat Hummus

You can always spread humus on your crackers or sandwiches instead of fatty condiments. Dip your vegetable sticks or crackers into hummus to have a more filling tasty snack. Always use veggies rather than the fatty chips whenever you can, as this will give you better results. You can add red pepper slices, the vitamin C contained in them helps the body absorb more of the iron contained in the hummus. Sliced cucumbers, carrots, Zucchini or asparagus spears are equally good ideas.

Always insist on low calorie hummus and make it yourself at home whenever you can. If you must use store bought then the traditional hummus is always the best, but some manufacturers make use higher amounts of olive oil, some brands contain extra flavorings to increase the calorie content, so be aware of this when purchasing. Eat Hummus as part of your healthy diet.

How to Make Light Fluffy Hummus

How to Make Light Fluffy Hummus

Nov 5, 2014 | All About Hummus, Basic Hummus, Hummus Ingredients, Hummus Recipe Ideas, Hummus Variations, Hummus Video Recipes, Recipes, Spicy Hummus Recipes, Sweet Hummus Recipes, Types of Hummus

How to Make Light Fluffy Hummus

Some people like their hummus heavy and moist while others prefer it lighter and fluffy. Here are some tips and a video recipe to help you keep your hummus more on the light side. We have a lot of hummus variations on this site and there are also some surprising new recipes to add to your arsenal.

This recipe uses Tahini. Some people prefer their hummus without the Tahini, but that’s something for another day. Inspired Taste website claim that the secret to the light and fluffy hummus lies in how long you leave it in the food processor to process. Try our peanut butter hummus recipe which is a delicacy that can’t easily be put into words.

People who are passionate about making hummus will go to great lengths to create the perfect hummus recipe. Making an awesome tried and tested recipe for hummus usually involves a lot of trial and error, trying new things until you come up with the perfect combination of ingredients and mixing.

The video below shows some passionate people making their own signature hummus dish. The video gives you a good idea about the extra mixing they are talking about. Recipe sourced from here.

how to make light fluffy hummus

Basic Hummus Recipe

Basic Hummus Recipe

Nov 3, 2014 | All About Hummus, Basic Hummus, Hummus Ingredients, Hummus Recipe Ideas, Hummus Variations, Middle Eastern Dips, Recipes, Types of Hummus

Basic Hummus Recipe – For the Love of Hummus

Lovely traditional hummus recipe with chickpeas and tahini. Perfect for any occasion and incredibly healthy, hummus has been made for centuries. Use this recipe as a base than you can add different ingredients to your hummus depending on your taste and the occasion. We have a huge range of hummus and other middle eastern type dip recipes on this site. So be sure to browse around to see everything.

 

Ingredients

Hummus

600g Can of Chickpeas. Drain the can and rinse the beans under cold water.
3 crushed garlic cloves, or two teaspoons of store bought crushed garlic.
100ml good quality olive oil (leave a teaspoon left over for drizzling on top of finished hummus)
2 tablespoons tahini paste (Hulled)
Lemon juice. Either squeeze a whole fresh lemon or 2 tablespoons of pre made lemon juice.
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
1/4 cup (60ml) water
1 teaspoon of Sumac for garnish

Method

Place all items in a food processor. Process on low speed for one minute until combined. Add water slowly until you get a nice texture for your hummus. Scrape down the sides often. Blend for up to 5 minutes depending on how fluffy you prefer your hummus to be.

Serve on a plate, drizzle olive oil on the top. Garnish with sumac. You can add all sorts of different ingredients to make some cool hummus variations.