Animal Writings

• Throw a few chick peas on your salad when you're at the salad bar.


• Hummus is a great product. It has a hippie / granola legacy in the Western world, but it's come of age; it's very mainstream now. Today, in any large grocery store, besides regular hummus, you can find hummus with roasted red peppers, jalapenos, extra garlic, basil, pine nuts, and who knows what else. Classically, you use hummus as a dip with pita bread. Although I'd say for a healthier option, use it as a dip for vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, and broccoli.
  
  I actually prefer hummus in a sandwich. Again, pita is the classic, and that works great, but also try it with whole wheat or pumpernickel. Add a mix of lettuces like you find in the packaged salad mixes or salad bar, and you've got a tasty, filling, and easy sandwich. But feel free to add all sorts of stuff: Sprouts, cucumber, tomato, radishes, avocado—the sky's the limit.
  
  Some people make their own hummus. For the rest of us...If you want to taste the best hummus, go down to a Mideastern or Greek restaurant that serves it. A pizza shop or little corner cafe will do; it doesn't have to be fancy. You'll see what I mean; the hummus at these places is definitely a cut above.


• Speaking of Mideastern restaurants, have you had falafels? If not, you must try them! Get yourself over to a Mideastern restaurant that serves falafels this week; next week at the latest! Falafels are wonderful. They're usually served in, or with, pita bread and topped with tahini, a sesame seed-based sauce. Such excellence from the humble chick pea. You can also make falafels yourself—it's actually not that hard—and some stores sell frozen falafels (which aren't nearly as good as ones made from scratch, but will do).


• Indian restaurants often do some wonderful stuff with chick peas (and chick pea flour). Another chance to broaden your culinary horizons—enjoy!

Labels: chick peas, diet, garbanzo beans, legumes