9 Unusual Hummus Recipes to Make This Summer

Oh, hummus. We can’t find the proper words to capture our love for thee. You’re creamy, you’re velvety, you double as a dip and spread. Not many snacks can rival such versatility and texture. You’re simply perfect.

Okay, so perfect may be an exaggeration for any food (other than peanut butter or cheese, of course), but hummus is pretty damn great. What also makes it great? Its ability to adapt to outside flavors (chips, vegetables, bread, etc.) and become enhanced with unusual ingredients like sweet potato, pistachios, and chocolate chips. Yes, you read that correctly. Even chocolate chips can make your standard, everyday hummus taste better than before.

We’ve rounded up nine hummus recipes featuring bizarre, albeit delicious alterations to the timeless classic. Scroll down, embrace the weirdness, and check them out for yourself.

Cool Ranch Doritos Hummus

This is a really dangerous snack to make if you participate in certain late-night, weekend activities. Try dunking an actual Cool Ranch Dorito for an experience that’ll get your tastebuds high. So meta. Get the recipe.

Cauliflower Hummus

Cauliflower rice gets all of the love, but it’s cauliflower hummus that deserves a dip. Sure, it may be counterproductive if you go with a cracker, but we promise it’s worth the splurge in carbohydrates. Get the recipe.

Buffalo Hummus

Frankly, we just need an excuse to make anything buffalo-style. Why not add it to one of our favorite foods for a spicy surprise? Top this with bleu cheese for an extra (and necessary) indulgence. Get the recipe.

Pistachio Hummus

It may be an amazing ice cream flavor, but pistachio also doubles as a creamy addition to everyday hummus. We also enjoy the fact that it’s green. Get the recipe.

Spicy Salsa Hummus

We love a good unusual blend and salsa hummus is just the thing. But what chip fares best in the battle of crunch: tortilla or pita? Taste test both and report back, please. Get the recipe.

Thai Peanut Hummus

You don’t have to jet to Southeast Asia to enjoy the tastes of Thailand. And honestly, we’ll find any excuse to add peanuts to anything. Get the recipe.

Sweet Potato and Turmeric Hummus

Turmeric has a bevy of proven health benefits, so this option is not only pretty, but great for the bod. A true win-win, if you ask us. Get the recipe.

Smoky Chipotle Pumpkin Hummus

It doesn’t need to be Uggs and PSL season to bust out the pumpkin puree and incorporate it into a summer recipe. Smoky chipotle makes anything a year-round hit. Get the recipe.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Hummus

What the what? You read it correctly. Cookie dough is having a moment, so it only makes sense to mix it with chickpeas and make hummus, right? Right. Get the recipe.

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Ice Cream Doughnuts Are the New Ice Cream Sandwich

There is absolutely nothing wrong with an ice cream sandwich. In fact, it is one of our favorite summertime treats as we attempt (keyword: attempt) to combat the rising temperatures and hair-frizzing humidity. But ice cream sandwiches may want to watch their back because the ice cream doughnut has arrived and, frankly, it’s here to steal the sugar show.

B Sweet, a Los Angeles-based dessert bar, is offering the Halo: a “hot-pressed glazed donut ice cream sandwich” that is completely customizable. “Hot on the outside, cold on the inside, and yummy all over,” the drool-worthy concoction is essentially everything we could ever ask for in a poolside treat (which is saying a lot because, as true connoisseurs of summer sweets know, there is A LOT to choose from).

But don’t kick your bomb pops and Italian ice to the curb just yet. Unfortunately for most of us, B Sweet only has two locations in Southern Cali, which means we’ll either have to imagine what heaven tastes like from afar or forgo that weekend trip to grandma’s to afford plane tickets.

Since the latter isn’t a possibility unless you’re a horrible human, why not try to imitate these bad boys for yourself? We’ve got a killer jelly donut recipe here at Chowhound where the insides can easily be swapped with the ice cream of your choice (we have a feeling that anything with coffee will taste beyond amazing). Sure, things may not be sealed to perfection like B Sweet’s, but you can at least attempt to stuff the hot, fresh-made pastry to achieve the same effect. And if you fail entirely to create a melted mess, the flavors should at least somewhat resemble the original.

Who’s going to be the first to try the delicious mash-up and report back to us?

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Snortable Chocolate May Become the Party Drug of Choice

It may sound like one of Willy Wonka’s failed inventions (three course dinner gum, anyone?), but you can now purchase a “snortable” chocolate powder as an all-natural way to get high.

Coco Loko, the latest product from Orlando-based Legal Lean, boasts an intimidating mix of cacao powder, gingko biloba, taurine, and gaurana (ingredients most frequently found in energy drinks). The effects are said to be a 30-minute to one hour buzz that is “almost like an energy-drink feeling, like you’re euphoric but also motivated to get things done.”

Legal Lean

Nick Anderson, Legal Lean’s founder, reveals that he was inspired to make the drug-free concoction after sampling a version in Europe. After much trial and error, Anderson and his team have now gone to market with a proprietary blend that has the FDA baffled about its regulation.

“In reaching that decision, FDA will need to evaluate the product labeling, marketing information, and/or any other information pertaining to the product’s intended use,” spokesman Peter Cassell told the Washington Post in an email.

Coco Loko isn’t Anderson’s first foray into the world of questionable “dietary supplements.” Two years ago, he launched an all-natural, grape-flavored syrup intended to mirror the cough variety that many people use (and abuse) during cold and allergy season. The company now sells 40,000-50,000 bottles a month.

While we applaud Anderson for his creativity and ability to capitalize on trends, we’re not entirely sure if we’re willing to ignore our tastebuds and sniff our chocolate. Frankly, it seems like a waste of cacao beans that could be produced for ganache, fudge, and other delicious chocolate-heavy treats. That being said, we’re sure the powder is a much healthier alternative to cocaine and other illicit drugs. So, “yay” to that and the reaffirmation that chocolate is, indeed, the most amazing (and versatile, apparently) dessert in the world.

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How To Build the Ultimate Ice Cream Sundae Bar

If you’re stumped on which dessert to serve at your next summer party, consider setting up an ice cream sundae bar. Ice cream is exactly what most people want when temperatures are climbing, thus making it the perfect solution. Even picky eaters love a good bowl of vanilla with sprinkles on top. Perhaps the biggest draw is that building them requires little to no effort for the host. All you have to do is lay out the flavors, toppings, sauces, bowls, and cones, and let your guests do the work.

But how exactly do you host an ice cream sundae bar that will really blow people away? It’s actually much easier than you think. We got the full scoop on ice cream party hosting below.

1. Keep the flavors nice and simple.

Your instinct might be to serve a ton of different flavors, but Mohan Kumar, co-owner of New York-based ice cream shop Oddfellows, tells Chowhound that when it comes to ice cream, less is always more.

“You don’t want to have more than two to three flavors,” he explains. “The flavors should be the base, but the toppings should be the highlight.”

Stick to the classics. Strawberry and chocolate are popular ice cream flavors that will always be hits. You might also want to serve a dairy-free option in addition to the basics, just in case you have any lactose-intolerant friends.

“Vanilla bean is a must,” says Kumar. “But in general, keep it simple.”

2. Having bowls and cones on hand is key.

“I believe a great ice cream sundae is the vessel we serve it in,” says Yolanda Diaz, head pastry chef at Geraldine’s in Austin. “It’s about the whole experience.”

Providing good serving “vessels” is the one step that’s going to require a bit more effort on your end. Sure, you could just set out a stack of red Solo cups and call it a day, but that’s going to impress no one. Instead, invest in a few nice bowls. They can be glass, but if you don’t want to spend too much money, there are plenty of stylish paper or plastic options you can find online or at party stores. (Personally, we like these cone-inspired creations.)

Our experts were divided on whether or not to offer actual cones. Kumar advises against it if your intention is purely sundaes.

“Sundaes should be in a bowl,” he explains. “That way you can get all your ice cream, toppings, and sauces in one bite with a spoon.”

Diaz thinks having cones on hand is a good option, in case your guests don’t want to go the full sundae route. At the end of the day, it all comes down to preference. Decide which experience you want your party-goers to have and stick to it.

3. Feel free to get crazy with your toppings—you can never have too many.

When we asked Diaz which toppings we should serve, she was nervous to recommend anything.

“Everyone has their own palate,” she says.

If you have a wide array of sweet, salty, and spicy offerings, there will be something to please everyone. Need inspiration? Some of Diaz’s favorites include chocolate-covered gummy bears, corn nuts, potato chips, sprinkles, and fresh fruit.

4. Offer a mix of crunchy and chewy toppings. The more texture, the better.

“Texture is everything,” says Kumar, further explaining that every sundae should have four layers: Smooth ice cream, something crunchy, something gooey, and something fluffy.

A great example would be a base of vanilla ice cream, salty nuts, caramel sauce or fudge, all topped with whipped cream.

5. Whatever you do, don’t forget the sauces.

Sauces are the glue that brings an ice cream sundae bar together. Without them, your toppings and ice cream won’t meld the way they should. Kumar says you absolutely have to have at least one caramel offering, one chocolate offering, and whipped cream. From there, he recommends serving seasonal fruit compotes (a summertime peach or berry sauce would work perfectly).

If you really feel like getting adventurous, Diaz loves more exotic offerings like chocolate curry sauces, orange blossom whipped creams, and sesame caramels. As long as you have a few basics, you can get as kooky as you want.

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Sautéed Zucchini with Dill

When the zucchini in your garden is still slender and about 7-inches long – before they get big as baseball bats — the seeds will be small and the flesh will be sweet.

Zucchini at this stage hardly needs any adornment. I like to cut my zucchini into thin coins and toss them in a hot skillet with some oil until they start to turn golden brown. That’s it!

Continue reading "Sautéed Zucchini with Dill" »

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US Grocery Shopper Trends Report

Research suggests that Millennials have become comfortable with using online shopping for grocery needs

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Tomorrow’s Store Shelf: Where’s the Win-Win for Processors, Retailers?

Consumers have an ever expanding array of mealtime options. So how do brick-and-mortar grocers keep shoppers coming in for unique foods and drinks that hit lifestyle, health and taste trends—and grow store sales?

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Expresco Foods chicken skewers

Snacks packed with protein offer a wide range of benefits aimed at fueling the everyday active lifestyle.

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Three Twins Ice Cream

The sandwiches are available in 6-packs and retail for $5.99. The cones are available in 3-packs and retail for $5.99 and as singles for $1.99. 

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