Paleo Friendly Hummus

I have started on a Paleo diet which means that one of my favorite foods, hummus, is now off limits.  Legumes are not part of the program, thus those little chickpeas gotta go.   I miss them already.

Hey hummus, call me!

So what is a girl to do? I can't just live the rest of my life hummus free.  So I did some searching and found a few recipes for fake hummus, or as a friend pointed out to me, "fummus"

I have to give credit to Primal Kitchen Chaos, a blog where i found all sorts of great Paleo friendly recipes.  I found this particular recipe on her site, and wanted to share the love with my I'ble peeps.

Step 1 Stuff

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup Zucchini
1/2  Macadamia Nuts (unsalted...and if you can find raw, even better)
2 T Tahini  (You can also make your own tahini if you wish, I just used store bought)
2 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 1/2 teas. Lemon Juice
1+ cloves of Garlic
1 teas. Sea Salt 
1 slightly rounded teas. Cumin
2 Roasted Red Peppers

Comments

[bigbaboo]

Thank you for this! I totally forgot to check Instructables for Paleo recipes. I was at a greek restaurant with friends recently and they got hummus and it bummed me out a little bit, so I'm glad I found this! I've been doing it for 13 months now and it's crazy how much weight I've dropped.

[AzureKeto]

I know it's been months since anyone has commented on this thread. I wanted to add that I have been enjoying Paleo lifestyle choices since May and the big thing that keeps me focused is that my blood panels showed HUGE improvements - including my thyroid which I have been under treatment for hypothyroidism. I may never get to go off of my meds entirely - but I do have better energy, weight loss, better focus and an over all general well being since doing this with a very good chance that my medication dose will be reduced. There are many valid points - but what really matters is how much healthier people can be simply be removing processed grains, dairy, sugars and legumes.

[angelabchua]

Glad that Paleo has worked out for you! Im trying to post as many as I can. The folks at my gym love making new paleo dishes, so keep checking back for more!

[awesaomeness5]

wow you people are the most amazing at sticking to a diet that i have ever heard of. i have a really fast metabolism so i don't have to worry but if i did this is were i would be

[angelabchua]

i think i was born without a metabolism. ahahhaha

[Rockin6661]

I lost 70lbs on paleo! and i love it more than anything...makes food far better :)

[angelabchua]

Wow! that is amazing! How long have you been eating in this style?

[Rockin6661]

I started crossfit about two years ago and have been following it since. It's great!

[angelabchua]

I have been doing Crossfit for the last month. Been going everyday, and it's totally changed me! I lost about 10lbs in the first month just from working out and cutting out crap food.

I feel stronger and absolutely amazing! (except maybe while I'm doing burpees or attempting wall climbs)

Congrats on your accomplishments!

[Rockin6661]

Wow well done. Crossfit is great! What gym do you goto?

[angelabchua]

http://www.crossfitcadence.com/ in Los Gatos, CA I love it, and totally addicted! Since this post, I'm down almost 20lbs! Crossfit and Paleo for the win!

[fredutsending]

we make that often in turkey... but i hate that :)

[iminthebathroom]

Simple way to increase the thickness to be more akin to humus would be to hang it in cheese cloth for an hour. The results will be dramatic

[angelabchua]

ahhhhh great tip! I wil try this!!!

[iminthebathroom]

yup yup, and it reduces any fibrous bits that didn't get strained. Silkier and thicker!

[caitlinsdad]

You should try baba ghanoush. Just eat healthy, you shouldn't be on a fad diet.

[javajunkie1976]

Paleo Diet isn't a fad diet, it's just a way to get back to the way we used to eat. I'm an archeology major and I can say that what is recommended in the books and sites is true. People really did eat that way and were better for it. Granted they didn't have the ultra-modern medical access that most of us have, but they did pretty well.

As for me, I've been on it for two years and have lost 75 lbs.

[caitlinsdad]

btw, is coffee good for you?

[angelabchua]

Oh My word!!! CONGRATS! 75lbs?! that is quite an accomplishment! There are a lot of us here at the Instructables HQ that practice Paleo.

I have started Crossfit myself and have decided to really give up some of things that have really affected my weight; refined sugars, gluten, sodium...and i feel the best I've felt in as long as I can remember.

For me, It just made sense and is surprisingly easy to stick to. I almost hate to use the word "diet" as to me, diet means deprivation.

[javajunkie1976]

I don't use diet when describing the weight loss (thank you by the way), I refer to it as a lifestyle change. It's amazingly easy to do though I do miss some of my old standbys, mainly pasta. But I have found that spaghetti squash if done right, comes out beautifully.

Caitlinsdad, yes coffee is good for me, helps flush out the system if you get my drift ; )

[NachoMahma]

. From what little I could find at the links the OP provided, several things are not taken into account, including: humans are omnivores and our physiology has changed quite a bit over the last 8000+ years (500 generations * 16 years/generation).

[caitlinsdad]

Good for you. Your background may indeed confirm whatever the diet draws its principles on. Why is getting back to the way we used to eat, I'm guessing whatever was available naturally, not trademarked?

[eleos1177]

Caitlinsdad-

while im sure you checked out the primal diet thoroughly before commenting, you will realize it is not a "fad diet", it is a lifestyle and a way of eating.

Infact, the way "You" eat, is the "FAD" diet. If you track the evolution of Humans, you will realize that we have only eaten many of the things we eat today, at best, for 10,000 years. We have been on this planet for over 4 milion years and in relative comparison,the last 10,000 years is the FAD. Paleo/Primal lifestyles promote eating like our most distant ancestors, who didnt suffer from heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc.

Check out Robb Wolfe and Mark Sisson and you will understand.

[AngryRedhead]

Since when are olives, never mind olive oil, paleolithic? Did paleolithic people have olive presses and vessels for storing olive oil and separating out the bitter water? Not to mention modern red bell peppers, modern garlic, zucchini, etc? They're all cultivated crops. Meyer lemons date back to 1908 and have been in continual cultivation since thanks to the process of grafting.  The same goes for most citrus, apples, pears, avocados, etc.

Peppers have been continually cultivated from the pequin chile (and its offspring) over the past 8,000 years or so, and the pequin chile, which I grow in my garden, is VERY, VERY different than almost every other capsicum out there.  Peppers have changed dramatically since the pequin was first cultivated.  Potatoes and beans have most likely been in cultivation longer than peppers and are closer to the paleolithic era.

I don't understand how beef, chicken, reindeer, pork, etc. are allowed since they all come from domesticated animals.  You're not exactly going to find a a plump leghorn chicken wandering around the woods.

For the record, I don't have a problem with whole food diets, and I'm sure this diet works if you switch to it from the modern American diet.  However, the basis of the paleo diet is a perversion of science and history.

[angelabchua]

You have completely valid points! Plainly put, I don't imagine Wooly Mammoth will be on my meal plan anytime soon. For now, it will be whatever i can get at Safeway grocery stores.

[caitlinsdad]

Interesting point that you bring up potatoes and beans may have been around for a while. I do notice that some tribal/aboriginal or ancient cultures do carry on the traditional root vegetables(cassava, taro, etc), many are starchy which I think this diet excludes.

[Scurvymcdiggle]

sweet potato...

[caitlinsdad]

I clicked on the link above and saw it was another sales pitch to buy books on some diet. If you have to pay for advice on what to eat, you are part of the fad.

[Lithium Rain]

I'm with you, Daddio. If it works for you, great, but it *is* a fad diet.

Great recipe either which way.

[angelabchua]

Well the reason I linked to the book, was because I just read it, and while yes, I paid for that, I wanted to learn more about it before I determined if it was right for me. Turns out this is probably the best change I've made in my life. I'm losing some of the 60lbs I managed to gain over the course of the last few years. Im stronger than ever, and my skin is better.

I've been overweight most of my life, and I have tried every "fad" diet out there....and this is the first thing I have ever done that I can say is an honest "lifestyle" change.

I guess everything out there is a fad to some degree, and if this is a "fad" its been working for me. :)

[caitlinsdad]

Geez, it's not like I was commenting on Scientology....awww, f....me...

Well, good for you.  All I am saying is you should have good eating habits, moderation of everything, get out and take a nice walk, get fresh air and have a good attitude.  Treat yourself to KFC or In-and-Out once in a blue moon.  

and try baba ghanoush.  It is a similar recipe using eggplant, unless that is restricted in your diet. Yum.

[angelabchua]

hahhaha oh trust me, I've thought of hiding in my closet and killing a KFC Double down, with a side of animal style fries from in and out, followed by a butter smoothie. I am a beast.

I will definitely try baba ghanoush! I haven't prepared or cooked too much eggplant in my life, but would love to try! I will of course document and post my experience and the final product.

Thanks!

[Brian Buehler]

You should check out Gary Taubes http://www.garytaubes.com/
It seems like a similar thing and I've managed to reverse a constant but slow gain from the past 15 years. In the past month, 10 pounds is gone and I'm nearly back below 200!
Good luck

[rainbowlory]

after you chop your zucchini salt it good for 20 minutes and rinse it will draw water out of zucchini

[angelabchua]

Oh this is a great idea, however i don't really add salt to anything. But that is a great idea!