Chocolate Hummus
Chocolate Hummus is the whole package. A snack that is healthy and satisfying, rich in protein, fiber, antioxidants, macro & micro nutrients; contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives or sweeteners and comes together with five ingredients (including salt), in 5 minutes!! - what’s not to love about it!
The 5 ingredients in this recipe are:
Chickpeas or Garbanzo beans - The word ‘Hummus’ in Arabic means ‘chickpeas’. Use canned or home cooked beans. The recipe uses one 15oz. can or 1.5 cups of cooked chickpeas, that have been drained and rinsed very well. We don’t want the dish to taste or smell of garbanzo beans. They provide the base, body and nutrition!
Raw Cacao Powder - A great mood enhancer, cacao is the perfect way to satisfy your cravings for chocolate without overloading your body with processed sugar. Unlike cocoa powder which has been roasted & heavily processed and hence devoid of much nutrition, raw cacao is made by cold-pressing cacao beans thereby ensuring that no nutrients are lost due to heat treating. Raw cacao is loaded with flavonoids, magnesium and many other nutrients that make it a superfood.
Pure Maple Syrup - No artificial sweeteners. The hummus is sweetened with maple syrup only.
Vanilla Extract - Vanilla magnifies the sweetness of maple syrup and masks the beany-ness of the garbanzo beans.
Salt - A pinch of salt intensifies the sweetness of the hummus.
When I make it with kids in our Nibble n’ Gobble cooking class, we talk about each ingredient and take the time to sniff & taste it - even the maple syrup and raw cacao. Most kids like the bland chickpeas but are skeptical about combining them with chocolate for the hummus at this stage. They want to know if they would be able taste the beans in it. It is always comical to watch their expressions go from anticipation to frowns and scrunched up noses when they taste the cacao powder. We talk about where chocolate comes (it actually grows on a plant!) from and how large quantities of sugar are required to balance the bitterness of raw chocolate in commercially available chocolates. Smelling vanilla always brings a smile to everyone's face and we usually end up sending it around the table at least twice.
Chocolate Hummus
Ingredients
1 can of garbanzo beans, strained and rinsed thoroughly
5 Tbsp pure maple syrup
4 Tbsp raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
2-3 Tbsp water (add as required)
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
Preparation:
In a food processor, combine all the ingredients with a little water. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Add more water, a little at a time, and pulse until you get a very smooth consistency.
Transfer to a bowl. Garnish with chocolate chips, nuts, fresh mint leaves, etc.
Fruits to eat with the hummus: apples, bananas, strawberries, pears (or whatever your child likes). Make a fruit crudité platter with chocolate hummus as the dip.
For presentation: Children love to get their hands dirty in the kitchen. Let your child take ownership and get creative with the plating of this dish - make a funny face, pattern or scenery with additional ingredients you may already have in your pantry. I've suggested some options here. Choose what you have readily available and whatever your child likes. You don't have to get everything. But do provide a variety for them to be able to get creative -
As the base, choose from - rice cakes/ crackers/ toasted bread/ pita bread/ graham crackers/ bagel crisps/ apple slices.
For decoration: raisins/ cranberries/ white chocolate chips/ sesame seeds/ nuts/ seeds/ pretzels/ pomegranate/ mint leaves.
