Camas woman’s healthful hummus reflects her vegan diet, food-health connectionSubscriber Exclusive

Healthy eating is something I don’t often mention in this column, which is more about having a laugh in my kitchen than it is about how to make a fat-free, sugar-free cheesecake. (Yuck. Just eat an apple instead.) The recipes are a simply an engaging way to explore the connections between food, family, memory and culture.

However, reader Gail Burgess recently shared a recipe for hummus as a reminder that eating is about nourishing the body as well as the soul. Her recipe began, as so many recipes do, with an attempt to recreate happy memories. A Seattle native, Burgess enjoyed sampling food from the city’s multicultural eateries.

“Going to Middle Eastern restaurants was something I often did in college,” Burgess said. “I miss the hummus, so I was delighted to find a recipe and started playing with it. There are a lot of variations but the core is chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and some kind of salt. Everything else you can change.”

Burgess’ secret ingredient is za’atar, a Middle Eastern dried spice mixture of thyme, oregano, marjoram, sumac and sesame seeds (although the exact mixture can vary greatly from region to region). Burgess likes the Crescent brand green za’atar that features roasted thyme, available at Camas Produce. She said it’s now her “favorite flavor along with cumin and a little bit of cayenne pepper.”

Various za’atar blends can be found at New Seasons, Fred Meyer, Cost Plus World Market or online. Burgess’ recipe also includes tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds, and tamari, a Japanese sauce made from fermented soybeans that’s thicker, mellower and less salty than regular soy sauce.

Making dietary adjustments like lowering sodium and eating more fresh vegetables is something that Burgess is passionate about, and with good reason. She believes that changing her diet played a significant role in improving her health after she was diagnosed with mid- to late-stage melanoma in 2015. During this difficult time, she picked up the book “How Not to Die” by Michael Greger with Gene Stone.

“From there I started reading more about nutrition and health and the relationship between what you eat and your health. It was a journey, changing my diet,” said Burgess, who underwent surgery for her cancer and is now in remission.

Burgess, who has a bachelor of science in nursing and is now retired from her career as a children’s respiratory therapist, has taken continuing education programs in nutrition and worked with a physician assistant to adjust her diet so she could stop taking statin and other drugs. She said she’s been a vegetarian for most of her adult life but now she’s vegan, which means she doesn’t consume any animal products, such as eggs or dairy.

“I’m 70 now and not on any medication all,” Burgess said. “The doctor wanted to put me on anti-hypertensives. I kept passing out, even on low doses. I had a concussion. I said, ‘I’m not doing that anymore.’ ”

Burgess created her flavorful hummus with her healthy lifestyle in mind. Burgess’ low-fat, low-sodium recipe is high in protein and enhanced with cruciferous vegetables. The hummus can be made with cauliflower or broccoli (though she prefers cauliflower, noting that broccoli tends to add a distinct “broccoli overtone” to the taste). Extra flavor comes from roasted garlic and fresh lemon juice. Burgess buys fresh lemons in season and freezes the juice in ice cube trays so she always has good-quality juice at hand.

She said that she likes the hummus on sandwiches or, if she’s entertaining, as a party dip, baked in the oven and heaped with feta and olives, served with pita or crackers for dipping.

It might not be the same hummus Burgess enjoyed as a Seattle nursing student, but it does bring back delicious memories — and she likes making it herself, choosing exactly what goes into it. In fact, Burgess said she prepares most meals at home because good vegan food can be hard to find in local restaurants. However, she’s pleased to see that Vancouver is attracting more establishments that offer tasty vegan dishes.

“Exercise, attitude and a whole-food, plant-based diet are my weapons,” Burgess said. “The experience has given me a deep appreciation for being alive.”

Gail’s Hummus

2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, including liquid

Cauliflower or broccoli: 1/3 to 1/2 of the amount of chickpeas, broken into pieces and steamed for 7 minutes

2 tablespoons tahini, without the oil 

2 cloves garlic (roasted, if possible)

1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste

2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or soy sauce, or to taste

3 teaspoons cumin

1 tablespoon (or more) green za’atar

Dash of cayenne pepper

1/4 cup water (only if needed)

Put all ingredients in a high-speed blender to mix, only adding water if needed. Adjust seasonings to taste. Dip will be on the thinner side but will thicken when chilled. For thicker hummus, drain chickpeas, reserve liquid and add liquid as needed while blending. Makes about a quart. Will last up to a week, refrigerated. Serve in a sandwich, as a dip with raw veggies, crackers, naan or toasted bread. For party dip, place hummus into a shallow baking dish, sprinkle with feta cheese and a few sliced olives or sliced artichoke hearts. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.