In my house, hummus is treated like peanut butter. It's gorgeous and garlicky, and everyone loves it on bread or crackers or chopped vegetables. I often have it on toast with tomato for breakfast.

Hummus is really simple to make and packed with goodness. The chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) are high in protein, the tahini (sesame seed paste) is a good cholesterol oil and combined with lemon, garlic and a touch of olive oil is really, really tasty!

Hummus takes about five minutes to make and you can get all the ingredients at the supermarket. Homemade hummus has a much better flavour and texture than the commercially made brands. It's low fat, and doesn't have the preservatives and additives either. To get a creamy texture, you will need to use a blender or a food processor.

To make one cup:

1 can (300gms approx.) chick peas, rinsed and drained

1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp tahini paste (stir it first)

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp lemon juice

4 Tbsp water

Salt, pepper, paprika, chilli sauce to taste

Method

Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process until it is as smooth as you like it. If you want it to be creamier, add a little more water, or a tablespoon of plain yoghurt.

This is a basic recipe and can be varied by adding sundried tomatoes, feta and spinach, beetroot, cooked mashed pumpkin and pesto–be as creative as you like.