“When are you going to make hummus?,” my husband asked me the other day. He had been pestering me with this question for awhile, and I had failed to give him an answer. After all, who has time to make hummus? With daily schedule so busy and spare time so limited, I have been meaning to go back into the kitchen, but life has got in the way. I want to take a deep breath and relax, sandwich and tea on hand, even for just 10 minutes. I want to think that life is not passing me by, to read a good book at a slow pace, and to reconnect with my very few friends. I want to cook and to enjoy life.
In busy times like these you’re grateful for any help you can get – be it a mom who’s willing to cook for you, a neighbor who shares some of their extra food, or simply a product you buy from the grocery store. To silence my husband who wanted hummus and was getting impatient lol, I went with option #3 and bought Hope hummus from my local Whole Foods. The team behind Hope Foods has recently contacted me to review their products, and their review proposal couldn’t have come at a better time.
Hope Foods is a Colorado-based company which produces organic hummus using the freshest ingredients and no artificial preservatives. All Hope products are vegan, gluten free and non GMO, and are packed in recyclable containers. The hummus is made by using High Pressure Processing (HPP) technology for an exceptional freshness and texture without any additives.
My first impression of the Hope products was good. Using yellow in the design of the containers made the hummus stand out on the shelf, and provided it with a touch of sophistication and positivity. After all, we are talking about hope here! 🙂
The original and spicy avocado hummus varieties I got could not have been any more different. While the former exhibited a wholesome and earthly flavor, which was elevated by the addition of organic spices and garlic powder, the avocado hummus was too fiery for my liking due to the jalapeno peppers, and the texture was also not as firm as the texture of the original variety.
Hmmm, how to make the original recipe bolder, and how to “tame” the fiery spiciness of the avocado recipe? That was my plan, that was my challenge!
I added chopped fresh parsley to both hummus varieties and served them on wide pan whole grain bread. In the case of the original hummus, I decided to pair it with pan-fried chorizo meat and to add plenty of sliced tomatoes for extra freshness and flavor. The result was messy but oh so tasty: The hummus & chorizo combo was a marriage made in heaven, and was exactly what I was looking for to make the hummus stand out. The nuttiness of the hummus benefited from the assertiveness of the chorizo, and both of them pledged fresh allegiance to the juicy tomatoes and the supple parsley.
As for the spicy avocado variety, I opted for a vegetarian sandwich and used grilled portobello mushrooms, Boston lettuce and sliced tomatoes. The meaty mushrooms toned down the fiery exuberance of the hummus and provided protein-packed flavor, which made the sandwich both filling and delicious.
Hope hummus can also be used in various recipes which can be downloaded from the Hope Foods website. I’ll try some of these recipes in the future, and I promise to report back.
My husband loved the sandwiches I made him using Hope hummus. Not only did he get his “hummus fix,” but he also enjoyed to see me back to the place I love the most, and engaged in endless culinary adventures. As for me, I will continue to experiment with hummus, portobello mushrooms and the like. At last, hope is back into the kitchen 🙂
*Disclaimer: Hope Foods offered me a complimentary tasting of their products to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
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