Healthy makeovers for your favorite party foods

Replace bean dip with hummus

Hummus is just as delicious as the standard party-fare bean dip and nutritionally superior. Your party guests will never suspect you’ve taken the nutritional high road… and they’ll be too busy chewing too care.

Garlicky hummus

(serves 10)

Ingredients:
2 cups chickpeas (drained canned or freshly cooked)
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (more or less to taste)
1 large clove fresh garlic, quartered
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil or reserved liquid from canned beans

Directions:

1. Combine chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic clove in a food processor. Pulse until smooth, adding up to ¼ cup olive oil or reserved liquid from canned beans, as preferred, as necessary to reach desired consistency. Place in serving bowl and let chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

2. If desired, drizzle with additional olive oil before serving. Place bowl in center of platter and surround with toasted pita chips (recipe follows).

Toasted pita chips

Ingredients:
4 pita breads
Olive oil for brushing
Ground cumin
Sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Brush pita breads with olive oil and sprinkle with ground cumin and sea salt. Cut each bread into six wedges and arrange all wedges on a cookie sheet.

2. Bake for 5 minutes at 400 F, turn with spatula, and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until toasted. Serve with hummus.