For my son’s 16th birthday last weekend, he requested a Greek dinner, so I mustered my rusty joy of cooking and rose to the occasion. It turned out to be a delicious meal and fun celebration. I decided to make hummus, because the store-bought variety always leaves me wanting.

I’ve never thought of the health benefits of garbanzo beans, but apparently they are bountiful. For a healing soul they offer a boatload of benefits: Vitamin B6, which produces serotonin (the happy hormone), soluble fiber, which helps stabilize blood sugar (important while handling stress), and tons of iron, which boosts energy levels. These healthful beans are also high in fiber, which keeps the digestion tract moving along — very important when the body is experiencing trauma.

Dr. Weil’s cookbook has a fabulous recipe, which I’m sure is perfect, but I tweaked it a little to accommodate my love of lemon and cilantro. I also processed the garbanzo beans so they are still a bit chunky — not a smooth paste. I have the same habit with my mashed potatoes, which may stem from my love of oatmeal, but I don’t think there’s a need to analyze that too deeply.

The finished product was delicious.

Healthy Hummus Recipe

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2 cloves garlic, mashed

1 medium jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons tahini

½ cup fresh lemon juice

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon honey

½ cup cilantro, chopped

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

Pinch of cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup olive oil

Place garlic and chile in bowl of food processor and process until fined chopped. Add lemon + lime juice, tahini, honey, cumin, cayenne, salt and blend. Add garbanzo beans and process until blended (chunky if you like it that way). Add olive oil slowly in a thin stream until combined. Transfer to a bowl and add the chopped cilantro. Store in refrigerator.

Let me know how you like it.

-db

Who is Dianna Bonny?

Hi, my name is Dianna Bonny. It’s my mission to candidly share my journey with you. For me, it’s all about the healing: to create a radiant healing energy for others who have befallen a similar fate. Together, we can forge beautiful lives of belonging and connection. Thanks for joining me today! I look forward to hearing from you.