When I’m RVing, I’m all about easy-to-prepare, yet super delicious meals and snacks. One of my all-time favorite foods to snack on is hummus. I’m smitten with this chickpea-based dip that’s packed with protein and pairs well with so many things like French bread, blue corn chips, toasted pita, carrots and celery, to name just a few. Heck, it’s so good you can just eat it plain by the spoonful too. While there are several store brands that are truly amazing, it’s much more rewarding and budget-friendly to whip up a batch of your own.

I know that many people opt for really exotic flavors in their hummus, but I’m happiest when my hummus doesn’t have any one flavor overpowering the others. This basic hummus recipe I’m going to share with you is just that--basic. The ingredients are all perfectly blended to create a totally non-offensive, yet delectable hummus. For those that want their taste buds tackled with more flavor, it’s a great base recipe that you can add more exciting ingredients to, like extra garlic, cayenne pepper, red chiles, or jalapeno peppers.
Ingredients:

1 16 ounce can of chickpeas

¼ cup liquid from the can of chickpeas

1 ½ tablespoons tahini

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons of lemon juice

Instructions:
Open the can of chickpeas and drain ¼ cup of liquid from the can into a liquid measuring cup. Drain off the rest of the liquid. Put the chickpeas into a food processor along with the other ingredients. Don’t forget the ¼ cup of liquid! Blend until the ingredients are smooth and creamy. Once blended, place the hummus into a small serving bowl and drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on top of the mixture.

And that’s it! Simple, simple, simple! Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers--that is, if you have any.

Black Bean Hummus Dip
One variation is to swap out the chickpeas for a can of black beans. Rinse the black beans thoroughly before using them, and don’t worry about saving any of the liquid from the can. The black bean mixture will be smooth enough without needing any extra liquids.