Ok, folks. So, I took a few days off from the blog for the holiday. You can't blame me because I'm betting you did the same! I've been cooking and baking and eating, eating, eating so I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do here. Let's go!

Today is Meatless Monday, so I will be sharing with you what my dear omnivore Lee is having for lunch and dinner, but I'll do that in another post later this evening. For now, I want to share with you a simple-yet-surprising little treat that should absolutely find its way into your holiday agenda: Chocolate Chickpea Spread. Pack the spread into small jars to use as hostess gifts, or work it into a dessert you're bringing to a potluck holiday party. Or, just spread it on a crusty baguette and have yourself a festive little snack.



I first read Hannah Kaminsky's recipe for Chocolate Chickpea Spread when she posted it on her blog BitterSweet back in October. I was a complete skeptic. I just kept thinking "chocolate hummus, chocolate hummus" and talking myself out of trying it for myself. Now that I've made it, I have no idea what I was thinking. So, if you think this spread will even remotely resemble hummus, wipe that dirty thought from your mind right now and grab your food processor!

Hannah's recipe is so simple and perfect that I didn't alter a thing when I made the spread, and I couldn't be happier with the result. It's dark and cocoa-y, smooth, slightly nutty, and flat-out delicious.

Chocolate Chickpea Spread (from BitterSweet)
Yield: About 2 cups

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp natural no-stir peanut butter
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Dutch)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp instant coffee (I used )
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 – 4 Tbsp water (I ended up using about 3 Tbsp)

Combine everything except the water in a food processor and pulse until a thick dough-y texture is reached. With the motor on, drizzle in water a little at a time until the desired consistency. I went with a thick, dense texture at 3 Tbsp but could have added the remaining tablespoon to achieve a silkier texture.

Hannah's original post doesn't suggest a storage method for this spread, and I imagine that's because it's not likely to hang around long enough to need a storage solution. However, my best guess says to store this spread in the fridge and consume within 2 weeks. Given that we're eyeball deep in the season of eating, I doubt that'll be a challenge for any of you.