Have a Helping of Hemp Hummus!

I was at the Veg Food Fair in Toronto a couple of weekends ago and I picked up dozens of little brochures for my bedtime reading pleasure.  To my delight, I came across some really fabulous hemp seed recipes. This is just what I needed to find because I have been meaning to write about hemp for weeks now!

What makes hemp so fabulous?

• Delicious, nutritious and you don’t need to be a vegetarian to enjoy hemp
  

• Rich source of omega 3 & 6 essential fatty acids including “super-fatty-acids” such as GLA (important for hormonal balance)

• The ratio of omega 6 to 3 is 3.75:1. According to The World Health Organization (WHO) this is closest natural source to the ideal ratio of 4:1

• Source of essential amino acids, antioxidants, vitamin E and chlorophyll

• Hemp butter is a spreadable source of 33% protein, superior to all other nut butters

• Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Udo Erasmus (the fat genuis who wrote “Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill”) both love hemp and recommend it

My favourite hemp protein powder that I use in my smoothies is by Manitoba Harvest.  Grown on a farm in Manitoba, free of genetic modification, fair-trade and cold pressed to ensure that the valuable enzymes remain intact. Here is a recipe inspired by the Manitoba Harvest brand hemp that I use in my breakfast smoothies.

Hemp Hummus – A terrific afternoon snack to keep your blood sugar balanced and metabolsim fired.

- 1 cup shelled hemp seeds (these are great on salads by the way or by the spoonful as a quick snack)

- 2 tbsp any oil ie. hemp seed, olive oil, flax oil

- 1 can of chick peas, drained (Eden Organic brand has “no salt” chick peas)

- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice

- 2 tsp ground cumin

- 2-4 cloves of crushed garlic

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Great as an appetizer for brown rice crackers, veggie sticks or pita bread.

Happy Hemping!

Joy