Beans are high in protein and fiber and help curb sugar cravings. They also stabilize your blood sugar and keep you fuller longer. My quick and favorite breakfast is hummus on toast topped with sliced tomatoes, onion, and pepper. Hummus makes for a great merienda - eat it with veggie sticks. Garlic adds a rich, complex flavor to this recipe and the trick is to roast it so it isn’t too spicy or strong. True roasted garlic requires 45 minutes to an hour of roasting in the oven - I use a simple trick to roast it in a fraction of the time and without needing an oven. Lemon juice lends a bright flavor to the hummus. Try this recipe out and be converted!

Makes 2 1/2 cups

 

INGREDIENTS:

250 grams or 1 1/4 cups dry white beans, rinsed and drained (see note below for substituting with cooked beans)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

8 whole garlic cloves, peeled

6 to 8 tbsp water or as needed

3 tbsp lemon or calamansi juice

1 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt (less if using table salt), plus more for cooking the beans

1/2 tsp black pepper

 

1. Place the beans in a food container and cover with 4 or 5 times the amount of water. Let soak for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Rinse and drain the soaked beans. Transfer to a large saucepan and cover with 3 liters of water. Add a big pinch of salt and cover the pan with a lid. Bring the beans to a boil over high heat; immediately decrease to medium-low and cook, partially covered, until tender - about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Rinse and drain the cooked beans. You should have about 3 1/4 cups of them.
3. Meanwhile, place the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan or frying pan and warm over medium heat. Once sizzling, decrease heat to medium-low or low. Tilt the pan away from you so the oil pools to one end and covers the garlic completely. Cook until the garlic becomes golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. If the garlic cloves aren’t fully submerged in the oil, turn them occasionally with a spoon so they cook evenly. Set aside to cool.
4. Transfer the beans and garlic to a food processor or high speed blender together with the rest of the ingredients. Process until smooth and adjust seasonings to taste.

 

NOTES

• Substitute the dry white beans with your choice of 3 1/4 cups cooked or canned beans.
• Play around with this recipe! Add a handful of fresh herbs is like parsley, basil, cilantro, thyme, and rosemary when blending the hummus to give it a different taste. Use a different bean, such as fava beans, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, soy beans, or lentils. If you can’t bother cooking the garlic, just substitute it with 2 or 3 fresh garlic cloves and blend it into the hummus together with the oil.
• Spread over toast, in a sandwich or wrap with roasted vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms) or fresh vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, onion, carrot, cucumber), with crackers or fresh veggie sticks (cucumber, carrots, singkamas) for a healthy and filling snack.
• Keeps in the fridge for 5 to 7 days and freezer for 2 months.