Live BlogHummus is one of the most dependable dips a foodie can find. Its texture, flavor and endless number of possible pairings make it the perfect condiment for a college student on the go. And when you add sweet potato to the mix, you will get hooked — especially becausethis combination is very affordable to make. One pound of sweet potatoes costs one dollar at the farmers market. Canned chickpeas cost no more than a dollar and can be even cheaper if you buy them dried. The recipe is simple and easy to understand, and you hardly need to spend time preparing: throw the potato in the oven and finish that assignment. By the time it’s done you will have a fantastic, healthy treat for your hard work.

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato

1 can of chickpeas

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp cumin (or red pepper or garlic powder -— whichever you prefer)

A pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Scrub sweet potato clean and place in oven, whole, for one hour.

3. While the potato is baking, open the can of chickpeas and rinse them clean in a colander.

4. Put the cleaned chickpeas in a food processor with one tbs of olive oil and process until smooth.

5. When the sweet potato is tender, remove it from the oven and peel the skin off carefully, because it will be hot.

6. Roughly cube the sweet potato and place in food processor until smooth.

7. Mix in cumin or other spices. Add salt to taste.

Notes:

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Don’t worry if you don’t have a food processor. You can use a blender if you have one, or simply use your hands: a little bit of elbow grease can go a long way.

Be cautious with the salt; often canned chickpeas have quite a bit of salt in them so wait until the end to add them, if necessary. You can also used dried beans instead; soak them overnight or put them in boiling water for five minutes and then turn the stove off and let them sit for an hour. You can do this before you put the potato in and they will be done at the same time.

A version of this article appeared in the Tuesday, Nov. 27 print edition. Kimberly Buesser is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].