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Bored of houmous?

  • Urszula
  • Jan 17, 2019
  • 4 min read

I have never been a fan of New Year’s resolutions. But when I have something in mind that really motivates me, it is a different story. After swiftly analysing our lifestyle and how much meat we are eating at home, I decided to start 2019 by making a few changes… We will start by eating less meat (especially the processed ones!), prioritize more fruits and vegetables (organic and locally grown where possible!). Lastly, to walk more.

“So you have new resolutions for 2019 then?” you may say... Well, call it whatever you want.

All I am thinking about is how to adopt a new lifestyle, which we, as a family, can seriously stick to. Not just because I am forcing myself to it. But because I know that in the long run, it will do some good to my body, mind and soul! I also saw how my little sister and her best half lost weight by switching to a sole vegetarian diet, that I thought, OK, maybe by reducing certain ingredients, we could improve our health too?

As part of our purified lifestyle journey, we tried various houmouses dips which I bought from my favourite online food retailer Ocado! I usually make my own dips, but at this time of the year, I also like to spend less time in the kitchen and rely on some ready-made products :-)

Hummus means chickpea in Arabic, but we nowadays use it very commonly as a reference for a dip/thick paste made mainly out of chickpeas (but not only due to assertive marketing I suppose?!)

For those who (maybe like me?) like to know a bit more about the origins of dishes and words, here is what I found.

Hummus (/ˈhʊm.əs/, /ˈxʊm.ʊs/, or /ˈhʌm.əs/;[1][2][3] Arabic: حُمُّص‎, full Arabic name: hummus bi tahini Arabic: حمص بالطحينة‎) is a Levantine dip or spread. Levantine cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Levant, known in Arabic as the Bilad ash-Sham and Mashriq, which covers a large area of the Eastern Mediterranean. Hummus is made from cooked, mashed chickpeas or other beans, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. It is popular in the Middle East and Mediterranean, as well as in Middle Eastern cuisine around the globe.

A home, we eat houmous for a snack with raw celery, cucumbers, carrots, peppers or cooked broccoli (my 5 yers old fav!) I spread it generously over an organic pitta bread or a Warburtons sandwich thin instead of mayonnaise or butter... It can also top your soups with a dollop.

Hmmmm, delicious!

So here are “my 3 must-have houmous dips”, which will help you systematically to create a more creative and engaging way to eat healthily! All three brands 200% approved by our 5 years old! And we love them all equally! (this is not a ranking below btw ;-)

Enjoy x

1. Waitrose Duchy Organic Houmous 200g

A Middle Eastern dip made with organic chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic. Organic, grown without reliance on artificial chemicals & fertilizers, Good food, good farming and good causes, Suitable for vegetarians. Supporting the Prince's Charities.

Ingredients (Allergy Advice: For allergens see highlighted ingredients): Organic Cooked Chickpeas (48%) (Organic Chickpeas, *Water), *Water, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Tahini (14%) (Organic Sesame Seed Paste), Concentrated Organic Lemon Juice, *Sea Salt, Organic Garlic, *Non-Organic Ingredients

Dietary Information: suitable for Vegetarians; Organic

Nutritional Data

Typical Values -A Sold Per 100g

Energy kJ 1373

Energy kcal 332

2. Pulse Original Lentil Houmous 150g

Probably one of the most innovative dips I came across so far! Wow, lentils based!

Pulse's owner says: Like standard houmous but better! Lentils are the perfect pulse for flavorful, healthy dips. Pulse Lentil Houmous contains half the fat of traditional houmous, is high in fibre and is a source of protein. It's also plant based, gluten free and has no preservatives or added sugar. But most importantly it's delicious!

Ingredients: Green Lentils (73%), Lemon Juice Concentrate (4.5%), Rapeseed Oil, Tahini (8%) (Sesame Seed Paste), Vinegar, Water, Garlic puree, Salt.

Dietary Information: Low Saturated Fat, Source of Protein, High Fibre, Natural, No Preservatives, No Added Sugar, Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy Free, Nut Free

Nutritional Data

Typical Values -Per 100g

Energy kJ 968

Energy kcal 232

3. ChicP Herby Houmous 170g

Last but not least... My favourite houmous E-VER! The herby one!...

Hannha, ChicP's owner says: ChicP is fuelled by my passion to change attitudes to the way we approach cooking and waste. ChicP's ethos is to be part of the drive to encourage people to think differently about the way they eat. While working as a chef, I would witness the colossal volumes of food wasted. This combined with my love for healthy, fresh food, gave me the clear vision for ChicP. Our houmous is made from imperfect veggies.

No additives, No added sugar, Houmous made from imperfect veggies, Suitable for vegans

Ingredients (Allergy Advice: For allergens see highlighted ingredients): Cooked Chickpeas (40%) [Water, Chickpeas], Rapeseed Oil, Tahini (12%) (Sesame Seed Paste), Parsley (8%), Spinach (8%), Water, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Vinegar, Garlic Purée, Salt

Suitable for Vegans; No Added Sugar

Nutritional Data

Typical Values (Per 100g)

Energy 299kcal

Energy 1238kJ

 

Nutrition Disclaimer: any information you find here is believed to be accurate at the time of posting. However, that could change with product reformulations, new recipes, new medical information or anything ordered by retailer.

Note I am not a doctor, nutritionist, dietician or health professional of any sort. I have no medical training at all. The information I share is based on my own experiences, my own taste and thoughts. I submit here information I learn from my own research, find over the internet via other websites, blogs etc or when attending seminars or trade fairs, listening to special guest speakers there.

 
 
 
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