I’ve noticed several different brands of hummus in stores recently, and tried a few. This inspired me to pull out my old Hummus recipe. Making it is very easy, and I think it is more flavorful, being as it’s fresh.

Hummus is made from garbanzo beans, which are also known as chick peas. You can buy them in a bag and cook them, or buy two 16 ounce cans, which is what I usually do.

Drain the beans but keep about 1/2 cup of the liquid. Put the beans in a blender and add the 1/2 cup liquid. It will become a smooth paste soon enough. Add 1/2 cup tahini paste, the juice of one lemon, and two cloves of garlic. Blend well, then put in a bowl. On top drizzle a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.

I like to spread this on bread but the traditional way to eat it is to dip pieces of bread into it, or vegetables of various types. Last week I got some spicy black bean chips from the natural foods section of our local grocery store, and ate those with hummus as a dip. That’s what I call good food.

Speaking of olives, I came across this recipe for a nutritious sandwich spread that I’d like to share with you:

1 cup chopped ripe olives
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped fine
1/4 cup almonds, chopped fine
1/4 cup sesame or sunflower seeds, ground
1/4 cup celery, chopped fine (optional)

Mix together with enough mayonnaise to make it the consistency desired for sandwiches or chips.

My favorite raw food supplier, Sunfood Nutrition, has these Raw Power Olives for sale. They say, “These delicious PITTED brownish/red, kalamata-style olives are packed in pure water, fresh garlic, fresh oregano, whole ripe cayenne pepper, and a dash of celtic sea salt. These are the olives promoted in the book Raw Power!“