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LESSON 6 HANDOUT 1 Tasty Chickpeas 

Recipe

Hummus Serves: approximately 8

Ingredients:

• 2 15-oz cans of chickpeas (rinsed and drained)

• 1⁄2 cup water

• 2 cloves garlic (or 1 Tbsp minced) 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1⁄4 cup lemon juice

• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt

• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1⁄4 cup tahini (optional)

• 1 tablespoon paprika (optional)

whole-wheat pita bread or raw 

vegetable sticks (for dipping)

Directions: 

1. Wash your hands.

2. Use a potato masher, or a mortar and pestle, to mash chickpeas to a paste. Add garlic and enough

 water to make the mixture smooth. (Or you may use a blender or food processor with help from an adult.)

3. Add tahini (optional), olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the chickpeas. Mix well.

4. Spoon hummus into a bowl. Sprinkle with paprika. (optional)

5. Serve with warm whole-wheat pita bread and vegetable sticks for dipping.

PREPARATION TIME: 

20 minutes

SERVING SIZE: 1⁄4 cup

SUPPLIES: 

potato masher (or mortar and pestle), colander, 

large bowl, large stirring spoon, serving spoon, 

measuring cup and spoons, can opener 

Note: Adults may blend the hummus using 

a blender or food processor if available.

Recipe

Vocabulary:

Potato

Masher:

a utensil used to 

mash soft food like 

mashed potatoes

or applesauce

Mince:

chop up 

into small 

pieces

Mortar

and Pestle:

a two-piece tool 

(club-shaped piece 

and bowl) often made 

of wood or stone, 

used to grind 

or crush food

Chickpea Fun Facts

• This tasty legume is packed with protein

 for building and repairing muscles. It is

 also a good way to add folate and fiber

 to your snack for healthy blood cells

 and a healthy digestive tract.

• Chickpeas can count as a vegetable 

 or protein food on MyPlate.

• In the garden, chickpeas grow as seeds

 in pods on a bushy plant with feathery

 leaves. Their flowers can vary from

 white to violet. The chickpeas can vary

 in color from dark green to light brown,

 but they turn a light beige when cooked.

• Add chickpeas to your salad or try 

 them mashed into a dip, like the 

 hummus recipe below.

Colander:

bowl-shaped 

utensil with holes

used to drain liquid

from food 

(like pasta)

Eat smart to play hard with chickpeas! 

The chickpea, also known as a garbanzo 

bean, is a small, round bean with a mild, 

nutty flavor. It is the seed part of the plant 

and grows in a pod. Chickpeas are grown 

throughout the Middle East, India, Turkey, 

Africa, and the United States. There are 

lots of tasty ways chickpeas are prepared 

and eaten across the globe.

Hummus is a popular recipe from the Middle East. In fact, the word 

“hummus” is actually the Arabic word for “chickpea.” It is traditionally made 

with mashed chickpeas, olive or sesame seed oil, lemon juice, and garlic. 

Tahini (a thick paste made from sesame seeds) and paprika can also be 

added. It’s often eaten with pita bread, but may also be served with raw 

vegetables as a dip, or with whole-grain crackers. Try it as a spread 

on a sandwich or veggie wrap.