Hummus Recipes, Low Glycemic Spices, Seasonings and Salsa

Many different hummus recipes may be created when you vary the fresh herbs and seasonings and add different vegies to the basic recipe provided here. Fresh hummus and homemade salsa really add some pizazz to your cooking and eating! Any commercial or homemade salsa or taco sauce that has no high glycemic sweeteners is an appropriate low glycemic choice.

Hummus

2 cups chickpeas
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup sesame tahini
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 cloves mashed garlic
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

If you are using canned chickpeas, drain 1 16 oz. can and puree in a blender. If you are using dried, rinse and soak 3/4 c. dried chickpeas. Drain and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and simmer 1 1/2 hrs. until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid and blend. Add the above ingredients and puree until smooth. You may want to add some of the reserved liquid to make it a creamy consistency. Remove to a serving bowl and serve with raw vegetable sticks, crackers or bread. In Egypt, hummus recipes include the cumin as we have done above. The traditional Middle Eastern way to eat hummus is with pita bread. Try it with low glycemic wholegrain pita bread and add fresh, chopped tomatoes, a little chopped onion or your favorite sauteed vegetable. You can vary this recipe by adding 1 T. - 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley or cilantro. Try flaxseed oil for a slightly different flavor. I have bought a premade hummus that was flavored with roasted red peppers. I'm not sure how to go about adding the peppers but it is so delicious it is worth experimenting. It is a very complementary flavor.

Spices and Seasonings

Use fresh and dried herbs generously as they will add flavor and are low glycemic. Go light on salt because it is so stimulating.

Catsup has high glycemic ingredients but if you eat only a small amount on a hamburger or hot dog, the protein will counteract the glycemic affect.

Homemade Salsa

1/2 small, chopped onion
2 T. fresh, lime juice
3-5 med.chopped tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste

There are endless variations on this recipe depending on your taste and time but this is the basic recipe. You can add minced garlic, seeded and chopped jalapeno or habanero peppers for heat, roasted bell peppers or make it out of tomatillos rather than tomatoes. Salsa is wonderful with scrambled eggs, beans, on tortillas with meat, on quesadillas etc. Be sure to use sprouted wheat tortillas because they will be low on the glycemic index.