Today, I’m happy to share a new book by my friend Matt Frazier, creator of the popular blog, No Meat Athlete. I’ve been a big fan of Matt since the early days of my own blog (and of course a big fan of his popular t-shirts!). I’ve always admired his down to earth and approachable writing style and passion for fitness and health. He truly feels like a buddy when you read his blog. Matt can make anyone at any fitness level feel welcome in his space and his enthusiasm about a plant-based diet does just the same. You know how some hard core fitness blogs can make you feel like peeing your pants? Well, I’ve never felt that way reading Matt’s blog. [Ok, maybe there was that one time.] He truly makes health and fitness feel like something we can all achieve whether you are just starting out or shooting for an ultra marathon. Oh and did I mention he does it all while eating a vegan diet?
Matt’s first book, No Meat Athlete, hit the shelves this week (which also marks the beginning of his 40-city book tour!) and I’m so grateful to receive a review copy of his book and to participate in this virtual book tour. First, I’ll tell you a bit about the book and then I’ll share a recipe from the book below! You don’t want to miss this one.
Here are some features of the No Meat Athlete Book:
Section I of this book is all about Plant-based nutrition for athletes, including topics like:
- Food and nutrition Philosophy
- Getting Started: Creating a healthy, Plant-Based eating habit
- Plant-Based nutrition for Sports: an In-Depth Guide
- In the Kitchen: Basic Cooking Skills to Save You time, energy, and embarrassment
- 55 recipes to Fuel Plant-Based athletes
Section II is called Running on Plants with topics like:
- How You Can Learn to Love running
- How to Make running a habit
- Taking It to the next Level: advanced training techniques
- Training for Your First (or Your Fastest) race
Matt also shares training plans for 5K, 10K, and half marathon races so you can get started right away!
As I mentioned, there is a recipe chapter in the book featuring 55 plant-based recipes geared towards athletes. These are the recipes that Matt and his family eat on a regular basis and you’ll find many quick and easy recipes in this chapter from Homemade Energy Gel to Cowboy Chili to Black Bean Brownies. Matt so kindly let me share a recipe with you today and let me tell you, it’s a GREAT one!
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
No Meat Athlete Buffalo Hummus
Yield
2 cups
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
Matt’s note: Of all the foods I missed when I went vegetarian, buffalo chicken was number one. It wasn’t so much the chicken I craved as the tangy, burn-your-lips spiciness of buffalo sauce. For a while, I just bought bottles of it and put it on anything and everything, but because most buffalo sauce is made with butter, that stopped working once I went vegan. Fortunately my sister Christine came up with this variation, which combines my favorite flavor with one of the foods I eat most often (hummus). Booyah. As with other hummus recipes, substitute the liquid from the can of chickpeas if you wish to avoid oil. Printed with permission from the book No Meat Athlete by Matt Frazier. Excerpted by arrangement with Fair Winds Press. Copyright © 2013.
Ingredients
- 1 can (15-ounces or 440 g) or 1 1/2 cups (246 g) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (I used 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt – AL)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) tahini
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) hot sauce (I used Frank’s Hot Sauce – AL)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (90 g) jarred roasted red pepper
- 2 tablespoons (28 ml) olive oil or liquid from can (I used water- AL)
- Cayenne pepper, to taste, for serving
Directions
- Combine all the ingredients except the oil (or water) and cayenne. in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine and then scrape down the sides. With the motor running, stream in the oil (or water) through the feed tube.
- Continue to run the motor until you reach the desired consistency; I like to let it for for 5 minutes to get it really smooth.
- Add more salt, lemon juice, or hot sauce, to taste, and then sprinkle with cayenne pepper before serving. Angela’s note: I also sprinkled it with cumin, smoked paprika, and more hot sauce.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)~~~~
Congrats again, Matt, on your new book! And good luck with the book tour. I wish you were coming to Toronto. :)
When I transitioned to a plant-based diet, I read a LOT of Matt’s blog. He’s got a great style and makes it very approachable. :) I bet his book is just as good!
Love all the recipes. Unfortunately, this one, like most of them, is a nutritional time bomb of excess sodium. I know well enough to leave all the salt out of your recipes, and to avoid adding a tremendous excess of sodium from prepared foods like Soy Sauce and all of the other condiments containing sodium that are in the recipes. It’s a disservice to publish recipes that contain huge quantities of sodium. Today, this very day, 6,301 people died unnecessary deaths from consuming too much salt. It’s not just blood pressure that is affected by too much sodium. Many other diseases are caused by eating too much salt. Hundreds of studies confirm this. People who quote one bogus study that says it is OK to consume salt, because they want to continue eating too much salt, is foolish. It is unsafe to consume more than 1500mg of sodium a day. Look at the American Heart Institute website. 1,500mg is a little more than half a teaspoon a day of salt from all of your meals in a 24 hour period. A single slice of bacon can contain more than this… A tablespoon of Soy Sauce contains over 500mg of sodium. The average person in most first world countries consumes many, many thousands of milligrams of sodium a day, some days 10 times the safe level of sodium. Please help people reduce their over consumption of sodium.
David,
Scientist and contributor to the 2012 James Beard Cookbook of the Year
Never have we consumed hummus so quickly. Next time I may roast the garlic first.
I’m a huge fan of Matt’s and so pleased to hear that his book’s been published. Can’t wait to get my hands on a copy! Love your pics of the hummus. They’re stunning! My little boy is a hummus monster so I’m looking forward to trying out this new flavour on him. Thanks for sharing the recipe xx
So awesome! The perfect heat of buffalo sauce, without the chicken. I’m loving this recipe.
That is almost the exact recipe my boyfriend and I make, except we use canned chipotles instead of hot sauce and add a couple drops of liquid smoke. We refer to this delicious dip as “crack hummus”.
Hi Angela, I read David’s comment (above) last week, and for some reason I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind. I never comment on blogs, but I feel compelled to respond and encourage you.
I in no way take issue with David’s concern that sodium can be a huge problem in one’s diet, but we all need to make dietary choices based on our unique health concerns. You provide delicious and doable recipes made with plants and you thoughtfully include a variety of options for people with specific allergies or dietary needs. Even if a specific recipe isn’t nut free, for example, you are always happy to chime in with suggestions in the comments. Additionally, you have been very open and honest about your disordered eating and I know have encouraged many people on their path to recovery and health. In my opinion, you go above and beyond in helping people to make life-giving choices.
I also feel it is unfair to lump your readership in with the average first-world individual who consumes thousands of milligrams of sodium each day. We are vegans or vegetarians or people who want to reduce meat, dairy, and processed foods in our diets. We’re not eating bacon for breakfast, lunch meat on our sandwiches, and microwave dinners. I include one (if not more) of your recipes in my daily diet and I consume way, way less sodium daily than the American Heart Institute recommendation. I do not think I am unique among your readers. And if a Big-Mac lover stumbles onto your website from Pinterest and falls in love with one of your recipes – it’s a win! It is not your responsibility to be all things to all people. You are reaching your audience with your mission. You are saving people’s lives and animals’ lives. Keep up the good work!
Hi Meredith and David, Thank you for your comments. :)
Yes, salt is one of those things that is very much a personal preference. I’m a firm believer that recipes are not one size fits all. The beauty of a recipe is that it can be changed a million different ways! As for salt, Meredith, I too probably get less than I used to back in the day when I ate a lot of processed foods. Now when I buy something from a box (such as buckwheat crackers) it’s often salt-free and I rarely eat many pre-made items. If someone wants to cut the salt in my recipes I have no problem with it of course! I’ve also heard from readers who increase the salt in many of my recipes, so to each their own. :) hah. Thanks for weighing in.
I have been wanting to try make my own hummus for ages. I finally did and tried your recipe. It was amazing. No going back now!
LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! this hummus recipe and I have made a LOT of hummus in my life. Thanks for the reprint and good luck to Matt!
I’ve been making your buffalo hummus with zucchini instead of chickpeas and I’m obsessed! It makes for the perfect lunch with some carrots and celery or topped on a salad or in a wrap…you helped me find a way to enjoy “buffalo” sauce again!
This has got to be my favorite hummus recipe, yet! I made a double batch and mistakingly opened one can of chili beans instead of 2 garbanzo….so, I just drained them well and used them. Perfect!!! This is one my hubby and son will love, too! Thanks for the hint to run the blender about 5 minutes, too. It turned out very nice… and smooth :)
Made this today and it was amazing! I pretty much followed the recipe exactly… used Texas Pete (plus a little extra). The smoked paprika in it almost tasted like liquid smoke – such a fantastic flavor! I will definitely make this often…. flavored perfectly and a unique, interesting appetizer! Thanks for another awesome recipe!
Made this today!! Absolutely AMAZING!!! Thank you so much :)
For hundreds of thousand years we survived on fruits, nuts, seeds, tubers and vegetable until we discovered fire and start roasting animals and birds. True carnivores born with built in tools like strength, claws, teeth and talons for capture, killing and devouring but we do NOT have them. We do NOT have hands that are designed for tearing into bellies of animals, but our hands are perfectly designed for picking fruits from trees. The strongest tough powerful animals like elephants, horses, camels eat only plant foods. Gorillas are 3 times the size of a man but 30 times stronger and they eat only leaves and fruit to produce all the protein they need.
How long does it keep once prepared?
Thanks!
I would say up to 5 days or a bit longer!
AHHHHHH!!!! I am beyond excited to try this recipe. My newly-trying-to-be-vegan boyfriend and I are obsessed with buffalo chicken, and I’ve been trying to find recipes to satisfy the craving. Seriously cannot wait to try this – thank you!!
Just made this as my first attempt at home made hummus. I like hummus plenty but am absolutely over the moon for buffalo sauce. This is amazing.
I’m a little late to the conversation, but I made this hummus the other day (my second homemade hummus attempt – the first one was a different recipe and a bit of a disaster) and it was AMAZING! I want to use the base recipe to try different flavor variations, but I doubt I’ll top the buffalo flavor. Anybody have any suggestions for some other intriguing flavors? I’m sick of the same old store bought stuff.
Just made this, best hummus I’ve ever made! It is delicious. I added a few extra tablespoons of the Franks red hot sauce :)
This is so tasty! I too have missed the Franks in my life. I’ve already done buffalo cauliflower “wings” but this is a tasty alternative that I can dip all sorts of veggies in. Also, I just made this recipe two days in a row, it’s that good.