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Last weekend we went to a glorious end-of-summer BBQ filled with friends, great food, clothed kids jumping in the pool, s’mores and wine at our friend, Holley’s house. I was asked to bring an appetizer to share. After a summer of gloomy fog-filled mornings, the weather has finally been H.O.T. here in Santa Barbara the past week. So I needed something cool, and since all my friends are health nuts (I say this lovingly and include myself here) I needed something fresh and healthy. I think I was still in Grecian la la land after swooning over Slim Paley’s beautiful adventures in Greece. 
Keep reading for the rest of the post and recipe! 

Since this recipe can mostly be made in advance and kept in the fridge – just leave the avocado until the last minute – it’s great for bringing to parties. Are you going to a Labor Day party? Bring THIS. Your friends will thank you.

Loaded Hummus Recipe 
Try this super easy hummus recipe for your next get-together or a simple supper. All the fresh toppings make this tastier than the average hummus, and it makes a delicious pita sandwich filling.

printer friendly recipe
This recipe makes a party sized amount. Halve the recipe if only serving a few people.

Yield: Serves 10

 Ingredients:

  •  2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 
  •  2 large cloves garlic, peeled 
  •  1/3 cup tahini (can be found next to the nut butters) 
  •  juice of 2 lemons 
  •  ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 
  •  ½ teaspoon salt 
  • Toppings: 
  •  1 Roma tomato, diced 
  •  ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives,  
  • ½ avocado, peeled, seeded and diced 
  •  parsley, chopped 
  •  Feta cheese, crumbled 
  •  Pita bread, baby carrots, sliced Persian cucumber, and/or sliced bell pepper, for dipping 

 Instructions:

  1. Place beans, garlic, tahini, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Process until very smooth, about one minute. Add the olive oil and salt and process to combine. You can adjust to your taste by adding more lemon juice, salt, or olive oil. If hummus is too thick, add a tablespoon of water. 
  2.  Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl. Top with tomato, olives, avocado, parsley and feta cheese. I like to add a little drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt over the top. 
  3.  Serve with pita bread, carrots, cucumber, and/or bell pepper.
Vegan Option: 
Just omit the cheese! Easy!