Lunch for me is usually something pretty basic, constructed out of what was in the fridge. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be talked about — I don’t know about you, but I always forget that simple is good.
Lunch today was simple. And good.

Hummus Wraps

  • Whole-wheat tortillas, one per person. More if you’re hungrier.
  • Prepared hummus — or for extra credit, make your own.
  • Vegetables of your choice. Today, I went with shredded carrots, red onion, sliced cherry tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, and a wee handful of spring mix. Other options include regular sliced tomatoes, shredded zucchini, shredded beets, sliced green onion, shredded Romaine or iceberg — basically, whatever raw veggies you like that will fit in a wrap. Raw veggies and hummus go great together! It’s hard to go wrong with that.
  • Condiments of your choice. I went with sliced Kalamata olives and peperoncini. You could do this with jalapeños or peppadew peppers or whatever other piquant toppings you like (horseradish would be cool, I think!), or just leave ’em off if you’re not a fan.

If you need to shred veggies, you can do it on a box grater, but it’s way way faster to dig out your food processor, slap in the shredder disc (which I believe most food processors come with), and blitz through whatever needs shredding. You don’t really need to clean the bowl much between veggies if they’re all going to be used for this purpose.

Spread a thick layer of hummus down the center of each tortilla. Top with veggies and condiments as you see fit. Wrap up and consume post-haste.

Want to make your own hummus? It’s easy!

Homemade Hummus

  • 1 can chickpeas or other canned beans — cannellini beans are tasty — drained
  • 1 clove garlic (more if you’re a garlic fiend, but 1 is usually plenty)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. tahini or Japanese sesame paste (optional — if you don’t like sesame, go ahead and leave it out)
  • generous squeeze of lemon juice
  • 2-4 Tbsp. good-quality olive oil
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
  • cayenne, paprika, salt and pepper to taste

Toss everything in a food processor and grind to a paste. If it’s too thick for your taste, add a little water and grind again to thin it up. Add more lemon juice if you want it more lemony, or more olive oil if you want it creamier. You can adjust the spices to taste. I like mine spicy. (:

Other options for spicing your hummus: basil, oregano, smoked paprika, and chipotle pepper, just to name a few. Or toss in some roasted red pepper, grilled onions, olives, fresh basil, or fresh cilantro while you’re blending everything. Hummus takes well to variations!