High Protein Hummus

Hummus is an Arabic word meaning, literally, "chickpeas in tahini." which is exactly what it is: a dip made from cooked, mashed chickpeas mixed with tahini (toasted ground sesame seeds), olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. 

A ubiquitous Middle Eastern and Mediterranean condiment, the recipe first appeared in 13th century Egypt.

Prepared hummus can now be found in most grocery stores in North America and Europe, as well as innumerable restaurants serving this delicious spread with warmed points of flatbread…but nothing beats homemade.

Chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans (yes, the same ones you've seen in your favorite salad bar) are the second most widely grown and eaten legume in the world. 

Packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals, chickpeas help to reduce feelings of hunger, aid in digestion, stabilize blood sugar levels (yeah for us diabetics!), are heart-healthy, and protect against a variety of diseases.

Plus, from a chef's perspective...they're freakin’ delicious! 😉

Categorized as a "superfood," chickpeas provide a whopping 14.5 grams of protein, 12 grams of fiber, and only 4 grams of fat per serving (1 cup). 

Combine that with a healthy dose of Exo Pure Cricket powder (bumping the protein up to about 20 grams, the equivalent of ½ cup of peanut butter, or ½ chicken breast), and you have a delicious, high-protein, low fat, knock-out punch that's hard to beat!

Now…I love hummus.

I've created this recipe by combining the rich, smoky flavor of Exo Cricket Powder with an amazingly creamy traditional Moroccan hummus recipe shared with me by my dear friend and amazing Chef, Mohammed, whose Shahrazad Restaurant & Nite Club I practically lived at while living in Jos, Nigeria.

This is, without question, the best hummus I've ever had.

Ingredients:

• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
• 3 teaspoons, EXO Acheta Protein Powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda (if you’re using canned chickpeas)
• ¼ cup lemon juice (from 1 ½ to 2 lemons), more to taste
• 2 large cloves of garlic, roasted with sea salt, hulled and mashed. 
• 1 tsp. fine sea salt, to taste
• ½ cup tahini
• 2 to 4 Tbsp. ice water, more as needed
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 2 Tbsp. capers, drained.
• 1 Roma tomato, finely diced
• ½ cup medium black olives, sliced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced

Instructions:

Pour the chickpeas into a medium saucepan and add baking soda. Cover with several inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling, skimming off any surface foam as needed (lower the heat if necessary, to prevent overflow) for 1 hour, until the chickpeas are very soft and have separated from their skins. Drain your chickpeas in a fine mesh strainer, and shock by running cold water over them for 30 seconds. Drain and set aside.

Combine the lemon juice, roasted garlic, and sea salt in a food processor and puree until smooth. Allow the mixture to rest for at least 20 minutes for the flavors to marry (this is one of the secrets to great hummus!)

Add your tahini to the food processor and puree until the hummus is smooth again. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl, as needed. 

While still pureeing, drizzle in the oil, add cumin, cricket powder, and cumin, blending until smooth (about 2 minutes). Taste and add salt if needed. 

If your hummus seems too thick, drizzle in up to 2 Tbsp. of ice water while blending, until the hummus is smooth and creamy. 

Taste, and adjust your seasonings, as necessary.

Spoon your hummus into a serving bowl and garnish with tomatoes, olive oil, parsley, capers, green onions, and Greek olives. Serve with toasted flatbread points, celery sticks, sliced radishes broccoli florets. and carrots. 

Try out our recipe for Paleo Matcha Brownie Bites too!