Recipe: Simple Healthy Hummus

Happy New Year!

After all the holiday feasts, sometimes it's nice to have a simple New Year's meal without too much fuss. Or maybe you don't really feel like eating much at all - maybe just the perfect snack is all you're looking for. Something like hummus is just right in this case - tasty, filling but not heavy, and full of fresh flavors and healthy fiber. Try this easy home-made version for a snack or light lunch today - just pair it with raw vegetables, pita chips, or whole-grain bread, and take a break from all the holiday excess!

Simple Healthy Hummus
(Makes about 2 cups.)

Ingredients:

hummus-plate (Photo credit: serenejournal)

1 (15 oz size) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 cup water (more or less depending on texture you want)
1 Tbsp olive oil (more or less depending on texture you want)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

• In your food processor, combine the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and cayenne. Turn on and pulse until mixture is fairly smooth.
• Start processor running steady and slowly pour in the water, stopping motor to test the texture, then adding more water if you like.
• Again, with motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil, adding more if you like.
• Stop processor, taste and adjust seasonings, pulse and repeat taste testing until you have it the way you like it.
• Add the parsley and pulse a few times.
• Spoon out into a bowl and serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate. (If you refrigerate, let the hummus sit out at room temperature a few minutes before serving - it tastes better when it's not too chilled.)
• Can be served as a dip, spread, or just eaten with a spoon!

Recipe - Low-Carb Snack: Baked Parmesan Cracker Crisps

This delicious low-carb snack idea is both easy and tasty - kids will love this one too! Instead of flour, almond meal provides the structure for these home-made cheese crackers. Simple and flavorful, this one is sure to satisfy your cravings.

Baked Parmesan Cracker Crisps

Parmesan Crisps (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients: 

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese*
1/4 tsp almond flour or meal
seasonings or herbs as desired (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, toss together the ingredients until well blended.
• Place even sized piles of mixture (size depends on how big you want the crackers) two or more inches apart on the baking sheet, flattening each pile slightly.
• Put in preheated oven for 4 to 6 minutes or until melted and starting to get golden brown.
• Remove and let cool undisturbed to keep their shape. (If you want to turn them into little bowls, you can place them, while still warm, over an inverted muffin tin or cups.)
• When cooled completely, these crackers can be used to serve dips, spreads, or as a cheesy cracker snack.

* Note: Any hard cheese will work, like Romano or Asagio. You can even use softer cheeses, like cheddar, but the result will be softer as well. Almond flour or meal helps the cheese smooth out while baking, but you can actually make these with just the cheese.