Hummus is such a great healthy, meat-free fast food, but if you buy it in the supermarket, it often comes with preservatives and plastic packaging. Thankfully, it’s rather simple to make at home with just a few ingredients and a blender or food processor. Not only can you avoid piling up all those plastic containers and eat healthier, but by making your own, you can save a lot of money.

The way many of us eat it is straight out of a package, but it’s a centuries-old homemade staple for much of the Middle East.

If you’re vegetarian or vegan, or a beginning flexitarian (perhaps beginning going meat-free just once a week), hummus is an ideal meat-substitute. It’s high in iron and vitamin C and a good source of folate, vitamin B26 and protein. And when eaten with bread it serves as a complete protein.

In this video, faircompanies’ Kirsten Dirksen, tries out a very ad hoc hummus recipe using garbanzos (the dried version, soaked overnight, rather than from a can), garlic, lemon, tahini, salt, olive oil, parsley (from her terrace garden).

We also have a video where Kirsten makes her own, extra-crunchy peanut butter and an olive oil version.