The kitchen. It’s where I do a majority of my… standing.
Standing and staring.
Standing and staring and spreading cream cheese onto Wheat Thins.
Standing and staring and eating cream cheese and Wheat Thins until I come up with a recipe and post idea.
If you were a fly on my kitchen wall… well, I wouldn’t like that very much… but you would probably think that a) I have very few brain cells firing with all of the standing and staring I do and b) I have an unhealthy relationship with cream cheese.
You might be right about the brain cells… I won’t argue that the standing and staring is a strange process. But the cream cheese? Yea… I’ll admit I have a bit of a problem with cream cheese and crackers. I’m trying to break the habit with chick peas and olive oil and mint and parsley. I think it’s working. I really think it’s working.
Delicious. Delicious. Crazy delicious. This spread is hummus meets pesto meets lemon meets delicious.
Ooh… and it’s totally healthy too. Dang!
This spread is creamy without the cream, a little tart, a little herby and all sorts of satisfying. On warm spelt tortillas… it’s my new favorite thing. For serious.
Chickpea, Mint, and Parsley Spread
Martha Stewart Living, May 2007
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4 small garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup fresh mint, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
fresh ground black pepper
warm pitas, bread or crackers
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until very soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the rinsed and drained chickpeas and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes.
Put the chopped mint and parsley into the bowl of a food processor. Add salt, pepper and lemon. Add the chickpea mixture. I have a smaller food processor and did this in two batches, dividing all of the ingredients in half and blending it twice.
With the machine running, blend all of the ingredients and add the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil in a slow and steady steam, allowing it to emulsify. Spread can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or transferred to a serving dish, drizzled with olive oil and served with warm pita or warm spelt tortillas (pictured).
Rosie
I’m sorry for any extra pounds this may cause…
Have you ever put tamari on your cream cheese covered crackers? Seriously? Well, new years resolutions and crazy delicious chick pea concoctions aside, you have to try it. It’ll rock your socks off.
… So will crackers with goat cheese and apricot jam. Ok. Sorry. I’m going to stop now, mostly for the sake of everything near my watering mouth but also, just a little, for the people between me and creamy creamy cheeses. Oh and for you, of course.
James B
Thats some funky sort of hummus you have going on there!
Tigli
Update, I made this last night. And even though I used two CANS of chickpeas instead of two CUPS, it was still DELICIOUS! It really hit the spot…thanks, Joy, you’re my fav!
The Duo Dishes
Good thing there’s a party coming up this weekend. May have to whip this up!
The imPerfect Housewife
Hi Joy – Popped over from Blabbing About Blogs – congrats for being the featured blogger today!!! SO happy I found you ~ I’ll take one of each please! If it’s a food blog, I’m there. And here I am! By the way, I love the simple look of your blog – not all crammed with useless stuff. LOVE it!
Kate @ Savour Fare
That looks crazy delicious. CRAZY. And I just did a pantry inventory and happen to have 6 cans of chick peas. (And 4 boxes powdered sugar. Don’t ask.)
Cream cheese is also excellent on Triscuits.
Tigli
Joy, I love you. This looks so perfect. I have a favorite Indian restaurant in Akron called “Aladdins” and I like to order the hummus and tabouleh and mix them together… this very much reminds me of that mixture. I’m definitely going to have to try this TONIGHT!!!
And about the standing and staring… don’t feel alone. I catch my boyfriend doing it all the time. He’ll be supposedly working on a project, and I’ll see him just standing there…staring… at nothing. And I’ll say, “what are you doing??” And he always replies, “thinking.” Oh, Ernie and his “thinking”… who can’t love that?
Mary Margeson
This sounds delicious, I am going to have to try it out for an upcoming “Girl’s Night” that I’m hosting.
You can never go wrong with Martha, can you?? :)
cookeaze
This sounds just perfect and fabulous. Thank you so much for sharing.
Food Hunter
Sounds like the perfect snack.
Meghan
hum…looks pretty darn good! and my cracker favorite are triskets :)
Jenny
Your photos take the cake. Or the chickpea mint and parsley spread. Love it!
NiftyButton
I now know what I’m having for lunch! This looks delicious! I love anything with mint. And, come to think of it, also anything with lemon. And also, anything with garlic. You’ve hit the trifecta!
When Pigs Fly
Looks great and a terrific alternative to the heavy calorie spreads.
Anna@BakingSimplicity
Thanks for another great recipe. Perfect for a small get together. And Happy New Year Joy! :)