Hummus is one of the most versatile recipes. Traditionally made with garbanzo beans, hummus can also be made with a wide variety of lentils or other beans. This past week, we prepared this Shasta lentil hummus recipe for the Nez Perce HIPT Food Summit in Lapwai, Idaho. Smooth and creamy, this hummus was a hit!
Simple ingredients
2 cups water
1 cup lentils
¼ cup tahini (sesame paste)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
These lentils are more tan than yellow before being cooked. 
Cooked and cooled. Ready to puree.
Rinse and sort dry lentils. Add lentils to water, bring to a boil and simmer until very soft, about 25-30 minutes. Strain and cool. Combine lentils and remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth. If you want a creamier hummus, add more oil or water to reach desired consistency.
Since I was making multiple batches of hummus for the Nez Perce Food Summit tasting, I measured each batch separately into the food processor. 
Batch by batch. Pureed until smooth and creamy.
Serve as a snack with fresh vegetable sticks, crackers, corn ships or on bread with fresh vegetables, cheese and/or deli meat for a delicious sandwich.
Hummus
will store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, place in a sealed container and freeze for up to
three months.
Yield:
About 2.5 cups
Colette DePhelps is always looking for opportunities to eat local and eat seasonally. Living on the Palouse allows her access to an abundance of local pulses and grains year round. In her position as an University of Idaho Community Food Systems Area Extension Educator, Colette is excited to share how we can incorporate these local staples into our meals all winter long.