By Margot Thomas

EVERY DAY of the year has at least one special designation and, until Wednesday,  I thought Friday May 13 was reserved for the birthday of Newsroom’s publisher. But when I opened my email, I discovered that it’s  already spoken for, and  is on the calendar as International Hummus Day.

My  KitchenAid  informant  suggested that I share with readers and the boss, a  hummus (chickpea)  paste  that is “healthy, different and divine”.

So instead of  a divine offering from the pastry chef at Las Hadas, where they also make one of the best chef’s salad in town, our tiny crew  will feast on Hummus  combining chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, salt, garlic and lemon juice. It is very low in fat and contains high iron, folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Since it is made from chickpeas, it has a lot of protein and dietary fiber in addition to zinc, calcium and other minerals.

Hummus is one of the oldest foods in the world -  and with healthy food trends growing every day, hummus has become more popular in Latin America .

It can be enhanced with local flavors by adding a few ingredients like avocado, beans, cilantro, tomatoes, jalapenos and more.

Eating hummus,  is also good for you. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine, revealed  nearly 30% of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease can be prevented in people at high risk with  a Mediterranean diet change including hummus. Here’s the recipe

Ingredients
½ cup tahini
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• A little lemon zest
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup water
• 1 14oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  2 cloves garlic
  1 teaspoon salt
  ½ teaspoon cumin (optional)
  A pinch of cloves, white pepper, cayenne pepper
  ¼ cup roasted red pepper (red pepper)

 Instructions:
In a bowl, combine the tahini and olive oil. Set aside.

1. Mix the remaining ingredients in the blender. Select the soups and sauces configuration.
2. Add tahini and olive oil and mix until soft and smooth.
3. Add roasted red pepper (red pepper) and mix until creamy.
4. Serve with pita bread or vegetables.

Enjoy.

Coming up:  At last a real Japanese restaurant. Watch out for my revue next week.