Hummus: A Healthy Pregnancy (or Anytime!) Power Food

When I was pregnant, I had three go-to snacks: yogurt and granola, Wheat Thins and Laughing Cow Cheese, and apples and peanut butter. I got so bored with those snacks. Lately, I’ve been eating hummus by the bucketful, using it as a dip for veggies, and I’m kicking myself for forgetting to work it into my pregnancy-snack rotation. (Although, I forgot a lot of things while I was pregnant.) It’s a delicious healthy snack, and it turns out that it would have been a great one for pregnancy.

Hummus provides major health benefits for a developing baby, according to NYC’s Nanoosh Mediterranean Bars & Counters, an all-natural, organic quick-service chain in Manhattan. Made with chickpeas, it’s packed with folic acid—super important for fetal brain and spine development—and has protein, calcium and iron, three other healthy-pregnancy essentials.

For a quick and easy snack, buy pre-made hummus in the deli department of your grocery store. Or whip up this hummus recipe, courtesy of Nanoosh!

Healthy Hummus Recipe by Nanoosh

Ingredients
3/4 lb raw organic chickpeas
1/3 lb tahini
1/4 c lemon juice
1/2 c water
Salt to taste

Directions
1. Soak the chickpeas in water a day ahead.
2. Cook the chickpeas in boiling water for approximately two hours. Strain and chill.
3. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and mix with tahini, lemon juice, salt
and water. Process until smooth.
4. Taste and adjust to taste by adding lemon juice, water and/or salt.

The recipe makes about 2 pounds of delicious hummus, so get plenty of pita bread and veggies and serve it to your kids and their friends! —Erin