Poor Man's Hummus

I like hummus but can't always fork over $ for the cost of the tahini (sesame seed paste). Yesterday while rummaging through the pantry I came across a package of past their prime garbanzo beans. What the heck ... cooked 'em up and they were a little flat tasting. Being frugal ... what to do? Aah ... marinate them ... this solved the problem. The recipe below produced a good tasting, tangy-lemony, lower fat version of traditional hummus ... and didn't cost an arm and a leg.

1 -2 cups drained marinated garbanzo beans*
buttermilk or thinned out plain yogurt
a clove or two of garlic
favorite flavorings: herbs, cayenne pepper, etc.

Place the drained beans in a blender. Add a little buttermilk (start with 1/4 to 1/2 cup) and blend to smooth paste. Add more buttermilk if it's too thick for a dip. Add additional flavorings and blend again. Serve with tortilla chips, veggie sticks .. or use as a sandwich spread.

*to marinate garbanzo beans use either canned or home cooked beans. Using a pint size jar, fill it 1/4 with apple cider vinegar, a teaspoon of olive oil, two tablespoons water, your favorite dried herb (I used a pinch of tarragon), 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp sugar. With lid on .. shake well. Add about two inches of drained beans and add a lemon slice. Fill up the jar with additional drained beans and place a lemon slice on top. If more liquid is needed ... just add a little more water. Put on the lid and shake well. Refrigerate overnight. Ready to eat or make into hummus the following day. From a one pound bag I made up almost four full jars of marinated beans this way. Three went into the freezer (allow about one inch of head space in the jar if you freeze the extra beans).

Photo credit and to read more about beans in general visit here.