Reduce meat consumption by switching to a diverse, plant-based diet. This delicious recipe is based on chickpeas, a legume full of nutrients and a non-destructive crop that is actually good for the Earth. This recipe is very similar to hummus, but it doesn’t use tahini.
Sustainability tips:
Chickpeas are a sustainable crop that requires little water, is low in calories and generally healthy. Black chickpeas are not always available in grocery stores, but they can be found in ethnic stores such as Indian grocery stores. The variety used here is more of a brown color. Regular chick peas can also be used for this recipe, however I recommend the black variety if available.
Remember that supporting organic and sustainable produce goes a long way to reduce harmful pesticide use. I also suggest to avoid produce in plastic bags and to bring your own reusable bags to help reduce the amount of plastic dispersed in the environment. I can send you free cotton grocery and produce bags entirely upcycled from old fabric. Just contact me if you need any.
Useful things to have ready
Rinse and soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain them and cook them in the pressure cooker until soft. In my pressure cooker it takes about 12 minutes.
Preparation time: about 20 minutes
Ingredients (3-4 people)
Ingredients can be adjusted based on personal preferences. With the suggested proportions one gets a flavorful spread, but not too strong in garlic or pepper. One can also adjust the amount of oil to suit personal preferences.
- 3-4 fistful of black chickpeas
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin powder
- Red chili (optional)
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon of water
- Salt
Procedure
- Rinse the soaked black chickpeas, drain them and cook them in the pressure cooker until soft.
- While the chickpeas are cooking, place a tablespoon of oil in a pan and roast the red pepper
- Roast the garlic
- Place the cooked chickpeas in a food processor, a blender, or in a pot where you can blend them by hand
- Add the roasted pepper and garlic
- Add cumin powder, red chili, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and enough water to blend (2-3 tablespoon of water).
- Blend until well smooth
You can eat this spread as appetizer or a snack, on crackers or bread, or with vegetables.
Enjoy!
Did you like this recipe? Share it and spread the word.
Help reduce meat consumption! If you have a vegetarian recipe you would like to share please email me at info@choosesustainable.org and I’ll post it on this blog.
Still undecided? Read here about the destructive impact of the meat industry on forests.
You Choose 