Henderson Hummus

Who would have known that such a delicious dip was so good for you? I only discovered hummus and it's deliciousness a few years ago, to be honest. And like anything I try in a restaurant or "store-bought," I of course went home and tried to make my own, better version of it. I have tried several different recipes and have taken bits and pieces from my favorites to come up with what I call Henderson Hummus.

Ingredients:

• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup tahini sauce
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup good olive oil (I like to use some that my mother-in-law bought for me in Italy)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup vegetable of your choice- cucumbers, sun-dried tomatoes, red bell peppers, carrot, etc. I used cucumber today.
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• dashes of salt and pepper
• 1/2 tsp. pickle or olive juice
• You can also add toasted pine nuts, minced garlic, tomatoes or cilantro as a garnish.

Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender. I like to chill mine for a few minutes, then serve with pita chips.

This recipe was served with our Mediterranean Chicken Kabob Platter.