Kicking off the first of many recipes that will lead up to the Tex Mex Meal Plan I’ve been working on this month. I’ve received an overwhelming demand to share a new plan, similar to my $25 challenge plan I posted back in 2013. It was time for a much needed update and a different perspective on the same general idea. This meal plan is focused on eating a gluten-free, vegan diet with a Tex Mex theme. Much like my last guide, I kept this one as affordable as possible to accommodate as many budgets as I could. I’m excited to share the complete guide later this week, but in the mean time, a recipe will be shared each day leading up to it. All coming together to make up the plan in it’s entirety.
While the base of this plan it grain heavy, another aspect of it is this amazingly delicious hummus! I used it in at least 1-2 meals every single day. It not only adds amazing flavor but packs a punch of plant-based protein! About 5g per serving. You know I’m in love with this hummus when I make two batches within the same week, I promise it’s that good.
Keeping the ingredients simple and affordable, I did use tahini for a creamier texture. Which is traditional, while omitting any added oil to keep it lower in fat. Feel free to omit or add what works best for you. You will achieve an even creamier texture with a little oil. Tahini can be omitted for water to save money if it’s not an ingredient you purchase regularly. Definitely give it a try if possible, it’s wonderful on and in so many different dishes. Like Wednesday’s recipe for Tofu Scramble Tostadas!
Following along with a budget-friendly meal plan, I will say that investing in a few key spices will make all the difference. Most can be found in bulk bins at some grocery stores. For this plan I would recommend picking up garlic power, cumin, chili powder, turmeric, salt & pepper (if you don’t already have these on hand). They will completely transform each meal, but again, they’re totally optional. Always season to your preferred taste.
Oil-Free Black Bean Hummus
Prep
Total
Ingredients
- 1 can Black Beans, about 1 1/2 cups
- 1 can Chickpeas, about 1 1/2 cups
- 3 tbsp Water
- 3 tbsp Tahini
- 1 Lime, juice & zest
- 2 cloves of Garlic or 1 tsp Powder
- 2 tsp Chili Powder or Cumin
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the beans.
- Measure and pour everything into a food processor or blender. Pulse until evenly combined and smooth. Adding 1 tbsp of water at a time, as needed.
- Stop to scrape down the sides to mix everything evenly and ensure a smooth texture.
- Transfer to an air-tight container and chill in the refrigerator.
Notes
Will keep fresh for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.
Courses Appetizer, Dip, Spread
Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan, Oil-free
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/4 cup
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
Calories 86 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat 2 g | 3% | |
Sodium 199 mg | 8% | |
Total Carbohydrates 12 g | 4% | |
Dietary Fiber 4 g | 16% | |
Sugars 1 g | ||
Protein 5 g | 10% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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Hi
I love your recipes -I am a new vegan and you are a huge help to me -thank you so much. I live in Germany and I cant buy black beans in a can is it possible to use kidney beans instead?
thanks
Bhairavi
Hi Bhairavi, absolutely. You can use kidney beans in place of black beans. It will change the flavor a bit, but should still taste great. Hope you enjoy!
Thank your for your quick reply!! All the best!!!
No problem, hope you enjoy <3
I could go through copious amounts of baby carrots with a bowl of this in my possession! Creamy and yum, I love the combination of legumes. I need to go check out your first meal plan, reducing my food expense is a constant struggle for me :/ I just love fruit too much, but more starch-based ideas is always good for saving money!
That’s probably my favorite vehicle of choice for this! Aside from tortillas chips lol. It’s quite old, I wrote it during my first year vegan. I’m still proud of it, but I know I can do better. Which is why I’m so excited about the new plan! Sticking to a starch-based diet is usually much cheaper and I totally get the love of fruits. It’s hard for me to pass on a smoothie for breakfast, but it does come at a cost. I’m very fortunate to eat as I please most days. Hopefully this new plan will help others find a way to make the vegan lifestyle more affordable and easier to transition to.
Oh, this sounds wonderful!!! We could eat hummus ALL day long, but I’ve never had black bean hummus before…I need to try it! I can’t wait to see this Tex Mex Meal Plan! xo
It’s probably my new favorite, aside from traditional hummus with extra lemon + hot sauce! I use to be pretty obsessed with vegan mayo and one day I realized I really needed to cut it out of my diet. While it’s freaking delicious, it served no nutritional purpose. Hummus has made it a lot easier to transition away from. I’m still on the quest for the perfect gluten-free sandwich bread though! Hoping the new Follow Your Heart gf bread is a winner, can’t wait for it to start popping up in stores!
I’ve made this exact recipe many times before except i roll it into balls and bake at 400 on parchment paper for baked falafel! i also like to add red onion and coriander 🙂 sometimes i eat some of it as a dip but it’s sooo good as falafel!
Baked falafel is delicious too! I’m guilty of dipping it into hummus haha 😀
I just made this! Thanks for the suggestion. I used a six bean mixture instead of chickpeas and it worked really well.
Happy to hear you gave it a try. Thanks for letting me know that substitution worked, hope you enjoyed! 🙂
i love how you mixed black beans and chick peas! i usually just make a black bean dip 🙂 the color is actually so pretty too!
Thank you! It’s a tasty combo, you should give it a try some time!
summers! i make a black bean oil free hummus too! only difference is i use a crap ton of green olives. I’ll need to try your recipe out too. 😉
That’s a great idea, I’ll have to try that out some time. So it’s like hummus and tapenade, very clever!
This recipe is AMAZING! The only thing I did different was use veggie stock instead of water and add about 3 TBS of Nooch…it was heavenly!!!
So pleased to hear you loved it! I love the adjustments you made, I’m sure it made the flavor even better. Thanks for sharing <3
This has a great taste! I made it in my Vitamix. I threw in a chopped up lemon and garlic cloves. But it was too thick to mix (I had to keep scraping and pulsing.) Next time I’ll blend the liquid, garlic, and lemon first to avoid the chunks. Unfortunately I taste tested a spoonful that contained a large garlic chunk, right before we went to a party 😂 but it was delicious and worth it!