Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

• 2-15 ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1-8.5 ounce jar sun dried tomatoes in olive oil 

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 lemon juiced 

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled

• 1 1/2 tsp. salt (I like to start with less and add to taste)

• 1/4 c water
  

Add all ingredients to blender and blend on low until smooth.  If the mixture is too dry,  add a little extra olive oil one-two tablespoons at a time.  After that add a little bit of water if necessary.  Hummus tastes great with pita bread of course, but don’t miss the opportunity to try it with sliced colorful bell peppers, carrots and broccoli.  

Cooking dried beans for bean recipes is easy.  The benefits are: easy, inexpensive (about $1.00 a bag), more nutritious, not processed, less sodium.  Follow the dried bean recipe on the bag but it is as easy as rinsing beans, soaking and boiling in a pot with water and salt.