I love medicinal foods that have withstood the test of time. Hummus is no exception and has been around for thousands of years. Greek philosophers Plato and Socrates have referenced the nutritional properties in their writings. There are so many healing properties to this awesome dip but that’s not the only reason you will want to eat it. It is also incredibly addictive because it is SO good! With the addition of kefir and fermented garlic, it brings this hummus "alive" and the beneficial microbes among us:)
Ingredients:
2 C drained canned chickpeas, liquid reserved, or replace with kefir whey
1/2 C tahini with oil
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves fermented garlic (see recipe at InLivingCulture.com/CulturedRecipes
1/4 C kefir cheese or kefir for a thinner consistency
Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
1 T ground cumin
1 lemon, juiced
Chopped fresh mint for garnish
Cumin for garnish (optional)
1. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor except the fresh mint.
Begin to process. Add chickpea liquid (or if you have kefir whey on hand, use that as you’re just looking to smooth out the texture and this will add probiotics and protein) as needed to obtain a smooth consistency.
2. Adjust the seasoning if needed. Add some chopped garlic or lemon zest as a garnish and top with fresh mint. Serve with pita bread or add as a dipping sauce for chicken, burgers or vegetables for a healthy twist to your meal.
Health benefits: Chick peas are high in soluble fiber making them a prebiotic. Combined with probiotic foods like kefir and fermented garlic gives it an extra immune boost. Tahini has some wonderful benefits like being rich in minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and iron. It also has Methionine. This aids in liver detoxification. When my son was having problems with his thyroid, an herbalist he was seeing told him to add tahini to his diet for better adrenal and liver function. Medicine never tasted so good! Hummus is also high in vitamin C. The added lemon juice raises the content even further. Adding the kefir and fermented garlic brings in the good bacteria and all the health benefits these two have to offer. Hummus is also low in calories which is great because you don’t have to put a limit on the quantity you consume. This is a living food with other benefits so you are better off if you eat it than if you don’t.
You can garnish this recipe with parsley if you prefer. I chose mint as a garnish for its healing properties. It is soothing for the digestive system. Mint is also know to be anti-inflammatory. The more foods you can add to your diet that have these properties the better. As a side note, this is also a very easy-to-grow plant. It thrives under a myriad of conditions and is supposed to be good for repelling mosquitoes. I suggest doubling this recipe. I have witnessed all age groups loving this dip. Kids love this and it is so delicious that you won’t have to tell them how good it is for them! Just watch them gobble it up knowing that you are giving them a living food, processed by nature.
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