Dill White Bean Hummus

I have been really good about making my own beans as of late (thanks to my Instant Pot - YES it's all it's cracked up to be!) which has not only been saving money, but it makes throwing together meals all week SO much easier. Plus, I've been expanding my bean repertoire from pretty much only eating the occasional can of black beans or chickpeas, to cooking black eyed peas, kidney beans, lentils, these navy beans, and more. 

And if we want to get even more excited about cooking our own beans, the Instant Pot (or pressure cooking in general) is said to actually make foods like beans and grains more easily digested and absorbed, by deactivating the phytic acid and lectins, which can cause digestive irritation. Pressure cooking also retains more nutrients from our food compared to other cooking methods.

Another benefit to cooking your own beans is being able to control the amount of salt, and the texture of beans you prefer. I also make it a point to always add a strip of kombu, a sea vegetable, which aids in digestion, combats cancer, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, and promotes a healthy thyroid. It's vitamins and minerals are absorbed into the food it's cooked with, without adding any flavor. Win!

Learn more about kombu here.

Oh yeah! I also added kale, because, kale. 

I've been trying to get more use out of fresh herbs beyond just cilantro, which I adore, and basil, which we have frequently. So this week was all about dill, and I forgot how much I love fresh dill! I chopped it into my salads, stirred it into my soup (this soup  is amazing BTW), and I also realized that dill is a bit nostalgic for me - it reminds me of my Polish grandmothers cooking, and playing in the garden as a young'n.

This is part of why I love food and cooking so much - the smells and tastes that bring back happy memories, to be relived over and over again - and the creation of new ones as well.

​Dill White Bean Hummus

2 cups cooked or canned white beans (I used navy)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 TBSP tahini
1 cup loosely packed kale, chopped
Juice from 1/2 lemon or lime
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
2 TBSP olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste 

Place all ingredients other than the dill into a food processor and blend until smooth consistency. If it's really thick, you may need to add a tad bit of water. Add the fresh dill and blend again until just combined. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. 

Enjoy with veggies, on wraps, sandwiches, salads, spread on toast, or whatever else you can come up with!