I love hummus…especially spicy hummus.

It is the perfect spread for veggies like carrots, broccoli, celery, tomatoes or any favorite veggie. It is great for salads, as a topping for flatbread or pizza, as a side for any meat dish, as the filler for deviled eggs, as the sauce for pasta, or you can eat it right out of the container (yeah, I do that!). Of course, it is great on corn chips too.

I used to buy hummus at the grocery store. Then I noticed that it can be expensive and it usually has some ingredient that I prefer not to consume. For example, some hummus products have guar gum which is not necessary (for flavor) and others have soy which I prefer not to eat because of my hypothyroidism.

One important ingredient is tahini, or ground sesame seeds. You can make your own, or buy it here. It’s great for homemade salad dressing too.

So, I started to make my own. Every time I make it I add a different ingredient or two just to change it up. But, I have discovered my favorite! I had to share it so others can enjoy it too. It contains homemade mesquite smoked jalapeno peppers packed in olive oil which are spectacular! We were lucky to get some for the holidays from friends that love to smoke all kinds of food items. It turns out that it is not difficult to smoke jalapenos (for another post), but it is also not absolutely necessary since you can use fresh jalapenos instead.

Give this a try. You will love how easy it is to make, how awesome it smells and tastes, and it is nutritious too! Enjoy!

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Smoky/Spicy Jalapeno & Cilantro Hummus

Smoky and Spicy Jalapeno Hummus

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings cups

Calories

Ingredients

2 cups garbanzo beans drained, 2T liquid reserved
1/3 cup tahini
2/3 cup cashews (optional)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped jalapeno (smoked and/or fresh jalapenos)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
6 1/2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T garbanzo bean liquid or water
4 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp cumin (optional, but highly recommended)

Instructions

Place all ingredients into the food processor.
Mix for 2-4 minutes or until smooth.
Serve with veggie sticks or chips.