In Texas Eating Whole Wheat Israeli Matzah & Hummus While Getting A History Lesson About Moses

I think I've mentioned, before, my unexplained weight gain and my quest for an explanation. Not enough exercise? Cut back in swimming due to cold water? Too much cheese? Too much Hummus? It's been a mystery.

And the mystery continues as I continue to puff up, rapidly approaching my all-time record, at the same time I think I've amped up the exercise and cut back on the eating.

Well, there was that fried chicken and pizza on Easter.

My new theory that explains the unexplained weight gain, thus making it explainable, is that it is Don Young's fault. Fort Worth's #1 Watchdog pointed me to a store I'd not heard of before.

Town Talk.

At Town Talk I find all sorts of exotic food items I don't find elsewhere, at ridiculously cheap prices. So, I've found myself buying big portions of Tennessee BBQ Pulled Pork. All sorts of imported cheeses. Sausage Kolaches. Coconut Shrimp. And Hummus.

For awhile I've thought my Hummus addiction might be the source of the unexplained weight gain. But today I read an article, on the Fox News website, that pretty much makes the case that Hummus is an ultra-health food.

Israel is Hummus Central. In Israel Hummus is like peanut butter is in America, like Nutella is in Europe or Vegemite in Australia.

I have no idea what Nutella or Vegemite is.

Hummus is in 95% of Israeli homes, with almost every restaurant serving the stuff up as an appetizer, I suppose much like Mexican restaurants in America, with the bowl of chips and salsa.

Hummus' zinc, folate and protein make it a great after workout snack. Chickpeas are high in fiber, garlic has a cholesterol lowering effect. The Hummus I get at Town Talk is the version with roasted red peppers part of the mix, hence even more nutritious.

Hummus consumption in America has gone up 35% in the past 21 months, with people discovering it makes a good mayo substitute, that it is good over chicken or fish and is a tasty replacement for sour cream on a baked potato.

I like it over brown basmati rice.

About a week ago I discovered Whole Wheat Israeli Matzah at Town Talk. Three boxes for a dollar. Made in Israel. The only ingredient is Whole Wheat Flour. I thought this is going to taste like cardboard. I was wrong. The Israeli Matzah is very tasty dipped in Hummus.

The packaging on the Israeli Matzah is interesting. Click on the thumbnail and you'll see what I mean.

The back of the package tells the story of something called The Exodus, where this guy names Moses was the leader of a bunch of Israelites enslaved by an Egyptian Pharaoh. Moses asked the mean Pharaoh to set his people free. The Pharaoh said no. This caused God to unleash a bunch of plagues, which eventually caused the Pharaoh to give in, but then change his mind and chase after the escaping Israelis, who wandered around the desert for 40 years til God gave Moses Ten Commandments and some other instructions as to how to start up the new nation of Israel.

Fascinating reading on a cracker box.