Hummus is a sought-after companion to , sliced veggies and other savoury snacks, but its nutritional profile isn't for everyone. Some formulas can be thick and slightly dry, and if you don't manage portion sizes correctly, . Eating a quarter of a 200g pot of classic Tesco hummus contains approximately 9g of fat, though many of us are guilty of scoffing more than half a pot, if not the whole thing.

I've swapped shop-bought dips for one simple recipe that never fails to impress. It replaces chickpeas with a close rival: . Also known as lima beans, these buttery delights are low-fat and rich in fibre, with just 0.4g of fat per 80g of cooked butter beans and 5.1g of fibre. Meanwhile, an 80g serving of chickpeas contains 1.8g of fat and 5.4g of fibre.

I have adapted the recipe over six years, experimenting with various quantities of each ingredient. One thing I've always found is that good-quality olive oil makes the beans shine; its rich flavour profile and natural antioxidant properties make it easy to work with in large quantities.

Some butter beans are larger and fluffier than others, which means you may need more or less oil. Either way, they are always naturally much creamier than chickpeas.

The recipe is incredibly easy to customise and adapt; you could add paprika, cayenne pepper, extra garlic or even chilli to the mix if you wish. For extra creaminess, I like to add a tablespoon of Greek yoghurt, but more olive oil will suffice if you're lacking fridge ingredients.

Ingredients

• One tin (400g) of cooked butter beans, drained


• Two garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped


• Good quality extra-virgin olive oil


• One lemon, juiced

Optional additions:

• One tbsp Greek yoghurt


• Cayenne pepper or smoked paprika (to serve)


• Mixed seeds, to serve

Drain a tin of butter beans (400g) in a colander the peel and finely chop the garlic. Avoid using pre-chopped garlic that comes in jars, as this is often less potent than the fresh kind.

It's also sealed up with preservatives that ruin part of the recipe's appeal: nothing is ultra-processed.

Add the drained beans and garlic to a blender, followed by a generous glug of olive oil (about 1.5 tablespoons). Squeeze the juice of one lemon into the blender, taking care to avoid the pips.

You can use a bottle of lemon juice if you prefer, but I prefer the zestiness of the fresh kind. You could add a pinch of lemon zest too if you wish.

Season with a little salt and lots of black pepper, then pulse the blender to blitz everything together. You will need to stop and shake the mixture every so often to stop the thick beans from getting stuck, and adding a little more oil may help.

If using, add a spoonful of whole Greek yoghurt to loosen the mixture and make it even creamier.

Continue to blitz until the dip is smooth and resembles hummus.

Transfer the dip into a bowl or a few ramekins and add the finishing touches. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top, which is particularly nice if you're serving it with warm bread.

Sprinkle some cayenne pepper or paprika on top of the dip, plus some mixed seeds (pumpkin, hemp and and golden linseed are good options).

Chopped fresh herbs like parsley or coriander would also work well on top of the dip with a lemon round for decoration.

Serve the dip fresh from the blender or keep chilled in a covered bowl or airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Stir well before serving if you're making it ahead.