Hummus Hallelujah!

by Dawn Fotopulos
(New York City)

For years (no joke) I've been on a quest to make a smooth hummus that didn't look and taste like mashed chickpeas. I eat hummus when I need a protein pick me up and it gets costly to buy the stuff.

I tried food processing, blending, immersion stick blending, cooking the canned peas, using the dried peas, straining the peas- name it. Paying $4 for six ounces of hummus was as bad as paying $5 for a cup of coffee.

I bought a demo model of the 3HP blendtech. It fit under my counter, was warranted for one year, so I took the plunge. I threw in the four ingredients that make hummus and fired that baby up. While earplugs are recommended, this was an experience.

Not only did the hummus come out perfectly, like smooth peanut butter, but better, the machine knew when the right consistency was reached and turned itself off. It took less than one minute. Later, I added carmelized onions, roasted eggplant or roasted red peppers. Chipotles or roasted garlic also do very well in a basic hummus recipe for added flavor and nutrition.

I packed up my food processor, juicer, old blender and immersion blender and sent it to my niece. I'm a free woman. This is not a blender; it's a piece of industrial equipment that masquerades as a blender. It has more horsepower than most lawnmowers.

I'll let you know how the green smoothies come out.

This machine will change your life. I pray it hangs in there b/c I plan to blend everything in my refrigerator including the refrigerator. Jamba Juice can eat its heart out. I have the answer. Now you do too.

Happy blending.

Dawn Fotopulos