Chocolate Hummus

16 November 2018 | 0 comments

Chocolate Hummus – who would have thought?! 6 simple ingredients, 5 minutes to make, protein and fibre rich. Fluffy and rich, perfect with fresh summer fruits.

I saw a recipe on pinterest for Chocolate Hummus and had a wee drool on my screen. Two of my favourite foods combined into one? Hell yes.

So I have for you today my own version of this spread – which I think tastes out of this world with the addition of a little coffee.

If you were to compare this sweet dip with something like Nutella or some other sweet spread, you’ll see it comes out on top nutritionally due to the fact it is based on chickpeas.

This I find rather genius, because you’ve now got a protein source in there, which, along with the fat from the tahini, will help slow digestion down, meaning a slower release of sugars into the bloodstream.

The tahini is creamy and mildly bitter, it is such a great combo with the cacao and sweetener. It also happens to be a great plant-based source of calcium.

Because it’s naturally oily – there’s no need to add any extra. In fact, in your typical supermarket chocolate spread, the oil of choice is often palm – which as you might know, comes with a whole host of problems – deforestation, displacement of indigenous peoples, loss of biodiversity, carbon emissions… particularly if it’s not sustainably harvested.

The problem with palm oil:

• Palm oil is the most commonly produced vegetable oil globally – it’s an efficient crop, and favoured by the food industry due to its neutral odour and taste, and semi-solid state at room temperature
• Global production equates to around 66 million tonnes per year, with Indonesia and Malaysia producing over 85% of the world’s supply
• Whilst the majority of it ends up as biofuel, a large portion is consumed by the food industry – as it is used in everything from margarine to biscuits, to pizza dough to ice cream, to chocolate to instant noodles {more on products that contain palm oil here}.
• Palm oil is also widespread in many consumer goods – such as makeup, hair products, toothpaste, soap and detergents
• The palm oil industry is responsible for a devastating amount of deforestation. An eye watering 300 football fields of rainforest are cleared every hour to make way for palm oil plantations
• The destruction of rainforests releases carbon dioxide emissions into the environment
• The clearing of land is seeing indigenous peoples displaced in the name of profit
• It also causes a loss of natural habitat for a wide array of animals. The orangutan, Borneo elephant and Sumatran tiger are all endangered and in threat of extinction

Palm oil can be produced sustainably, as certified by organisations such Green Palm or RSPO.

Because it is so systemic in our food supply, it is worth a quick read of a label to ensure it’s free of palm oil – the power is ultimately in our hands really. And, of course, there’s always the option of making things from scratch like we’re doing here today!

How to make the perfect Chocolate Hummus:

• Use unsalted chickpeas
• Don’t worry about rinsing the chickpeas – a little brine will actually help give a fluffier texture
• Use hulled rather than unhulled tahini – unhulled tahini is bitter
• Use pure maple syrup – no added sugar
• Use a quality raw cacao powder – it is higher in antioxidants
• Add the coffee granules for a more adult flavour – it’s so delicious
• Use a blender to prepare the hummus, you’ll get a lovely smooth result
• Go the effort of toasting some roughly chopped hazelnuts, combined with raw cacao nibs, they add a nice amount of crunch
• Keep it simple and serve with fresh fruit

More delicious dips and spreads:

• Radical Roasted Beet Hummus with Sumac & Lime
• Chargrilled Capsicum Hummus with Cashews & Miso
• Creamy Vegan Aioli
• Greenilicious Hemp Seed Basil Pesto

If you make and enjoy this recipe, please leave a rating below. And better yet – leave me a comment to tell me how you got on, or just say hi – I LOVE hearing from you. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest to see more of my everyday recipes and wellness tips.

If you’d like to chat with me about essential oils, or book in a class, you can do that here. If you’re after a Naturopathic consult, read more here.

4 from 5 votes

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Chocolate Hummus

Chocolate Hummus – who would have thought?! Protein and fibre rich. Fluffy and rich, perfect with fresh summer fruits. Yields 1 1/2 cups, serves about 6 people at 4 tablespoons per.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Gluten free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Chocolate Hummus

Prep Time 5 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 220 kcal

Author Lauren Glucina

Ingredients

• 1x 400g tin chickpeas no added salt
• 5 tablespoons raw cacao powder
• 5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons hulled tahini
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt

Optional:

• 1 teaspoon coffee granules to flavour
• cacao nibs to finish
• toasted hazelnuts to finish

Instructions

1. Drain the chickpeas, no need to rinse them.

2. Add chickpeas, cacao powder, maple syrup, tahini, vanilla, sea salt and coffee if desired to a blender, and blend until smooth. Stop and scrape the sides down as you go.

3. Transfer to a small dish or plate and enjoy as is, or sprinkle cacao nibs and toasted hazelnuts over the top to finish.

Lauren's Notes

• This is best served with a medley of freshly prepared fruits: strawberries, cherries, blueberries, pear, watermelon, orange, kiwifruit.
• If you want to cut your kiwifruit into a fancy shape like I have here, watch this video.
• Personally the addition of coffee takes it next level for me!
• Store in the fridge, mix well before serving.
• Nutritional panel is an estimate only, and excludes the optional toppings.