Sometimes I have blocks to certain recipes. It’s usually one ingredient that I either don’t have, is too pricey or hard to get, or that just plain intimidates me. Yeast is one of those blocks to a whole host of baked goodness. I’ve only recently been getting over my fear of it and bought a huge Costco sized package of it as a motivation.

For a long time, tahini was my block to making my own hummus. I still don’t really know where you can conveniently buy it, a big reason being that I never think to look. I did see it at a Persian supermarket once but couldn’t get myself to buy a sizable jar only to make one thing.

But then one magical day, a friend nonchalantly told me the most simple way to make hummus. Just whirl together garbanzo beans, salt, a generous squeeze of lemon, and olive oil in a food processor. It’s really as easy as that, with no tahini required. Of course, the lack of it does take away a certain element of flavor, but I don’t find that I miss it all that much.

So there it was, a way to get around my tahini block. Since that day, I’ve gone through my share of hummus-kicks, and I’m in the midst of one now. My appetite is ginormous these days, and it seems like I’m constantly scouring our kitchen for something to eat. That’s what happens in the third trimester!

My most recent favorite way to make hummus has been to add sun-dried tomatoes and a handful of fresh basil from the garden. This last week I devoured lots of wraps made of hummus slathered across a whole-wheat tortilla, topped with chicken, avocado, and lettuce.

I should note that there is more texture to this hummus than the store-bought varieties. I don’t mind it, I like to think that this is the “rustic” version. If you like it smoother, I can suggest you try Smitten Kitchen’s “ethereally smooth hummus.” The process to get the crazy smooth texture take some time, and there we go, another block for me to hummus making. I’m sticking with this version.

Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans, drained with 2 tablespoons liquid reserved
handful of basil leaves
heaping tablespoon of sun-dried tomato in its oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
roughly 1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Add garbanzo beans, basil, sun-dried tomato, and salt to the food processor. Pulse until combined. Add bean liquid and pour in olive oil while the food processor is on. Add the olive oil until the hummus is at the desired consistency.