Category: chickpea

Homemade Hummus

Making hummus at home is easy and delicious so give this recipe a try!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas (one 15 oz. can drained)
1/2 cup of tahini
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Water

Preparation:
In a food processor, mix the garlic cloves and tahini until smooth. Then add half of the chickpeas and blend. Add the remaining chickpeas, cumin, salt and pepper, and process until smooth. Add lemon juice and olive oil to taste and blend. For looser hummus, add one tablespoon of water at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. Serve with vegetables or pita or rye bread and enjoy!

Tips: For more flavor or variety consider adding chili powder or herbs such as basil or cilantro.

Photo: Unsplash

Chickpeas

The chickpea or garbanzo bean is a popular legume that began being cultivated in Turkey over 5,000 years ago. Chickpeas are a nutrient dense food high in protein as well as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and iron and vitamins A and B. They are also a very versatile food that are used in delicious dishes such as hummus, falafel, curries, and salads. In addition, chickpea flour and aquafaba, the liquid from the can of beans, which can be whipped just like egg whites, are great tools for baking! Being both delicious and nutritious consider adding a chickpea based dish into your meal rotation.

Photo: Unsplash

Chickpea and Mint Salad

This light salad is packed full of flavor and absolutely delicious. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Ingredients:
1 serving of chickpeas
1 serving of vegetables
Apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of oil
Fresh parsley
Fresh mint
Salt and pepper

Preparation:
Wash the chickpeas, soak overnight and then cook them (if you are pressed for time canned chickpeas work as well). Prepare a salad from the vegetables of your choice and a dressing from the remaining ingredients. Drain the chickpeas, cook over medium heat until crispy, season and add over the salad. Enjoy! 

Tip: The mint taste becomes more intense if you prepare the dressing a few hours before eating and let the flavors develop.

Chickpea-Carrot Bowl with Coriander

Our Metabolic Balance Chef Jan P. Cleusters has created this delicious recipe using carrots and chickpeas, give it a try!

Ingredients:
500 g carrots
2 shallots
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp tomato paste
1/2 cup (100 mL) vegetable broth
1 cup (200 mL) coconut milk
1 small can of chickpeas
6 sprigs of coriander
Salt and pepper

Preparation:
Peel the carrots and cut into cubes. Peel the shallots and dice finely. Heat coconut oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook the carrots and shallots over medium heat for a few minutes until they start turning golden brown. Add the curry powder and tomato paste. Add the vegetable stock and coconut milk and bring to a boil slowly. Cook the covered carrots on low for about 4 minutes. Then add the chickpeas to the carrots and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the curry in bowls and sprinkle with coriander. Enjoy!

Chana Dal: Chickpea Curry

Today we have a delicious Indian chickpea curry perfect for phase 3.

Ingredients:
1 serving of chickpeas
1 serving of vegetables (carrots, white cabbage, peppers, cauliflower, zucchini. . . . ) 
Diced onion
Garlic 
Indian curry powder
Paprika
Freshly ground pepper
Chili
Cumin
Masala
Vegetable broth
Parsley
Peppermint tea
Coconut milk 

Preparation: 
Wash the chickpeas and soak them overnight in peppermint tea. Cook them for about 50 minutes the next day. At the same time, saute the diced onion and garlic, then add the vegetables. Drain the cooked chickpeas, add them and cook briefly. Season with spices and vegetable stock and deglaze with coconut milk. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Enjoy with rice or other grains depending on your plan.

Vegan Chickpea Bolognese with Vegetable Noodles

Chickpeas are packed full of protein and pair perfectly with pasta. Give this delicious vegan and vegetarian recipe a try.

Ingredients:
1 serving of dried chickpeas
1 serving of vegetables (tomatoes, celery, carrot, zucchini, kohlrabi, onion, celery) 
Vegetable broth powder
Vegetable Noodles
Salt and pepper
1 clove of garlic
Olive oil 
Oregano
Thyme
Rosemary

Preparation:
Wash the chickpeas and soak them overnight, then drain and then process them in a food processor. Wash the vegetables and peel the carrot, celery, zucchini and kohlrabi into thin strips with a peeler. Then put the remaining end pieces and the celery into the food processor. Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Wash the tomatoes and dice them. Saute the chickpea mixture, add the diced onion, garlic and vegetable mixture. Season with vegetable stock powder, salt and pepper and cook thoroughly. Add the diced tomatoes and herbs and continue cooking for 15 minutes. In the meantime, cook the vegetable noodles in salted water and finally pour the sauce over them. Enjoy it!

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are becoming more and more popular. The beige-yellow legumes – in India they are also red, brown and black varieties – taste slightly nutty and are available either dried or pre-cooked in cans. Hummus is not the only way they can be used, chickpea flour can be used in many ways. It is, for example, the basis for falafel or chickpea pasta, which you can enjoy with Metabolic Balance from phase 3 onwards. The tasty legumes have a particularly high proportion of essential amino acids. Their content of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and iron is above average and they contain a lot of vitamin A and B – a real superfood!

Tip: Did you know that aquafaba, the liquid from the can of beans, can be whipped just like egg whites? It can be used in baking to make meringues or baked goods such as muffins.

Light Spring Salad

This salad is fresh and delicious, perfect for phase 2. You can easily adjust this recipe to make it oil free by removing the avocado and making a dressing without it. This way you can enjoy the salad even in the first 14 days!

Ingredients:
1 serving of baby spinach
1 serving of chickpeas (if using dried make sure to soak overnight)
1 serving of bell pepper
25 g avocado
Apple cider vinegar
Fresh herbs (Basil, rosemary, chives all work great here)
Salt and pepper


Preparation:
Core the bell pepper and then cut into small, bite-sized pieces. Remove the pit of the avocado and then add it to a blender along with apple cider vinegar, water, and your herbs of choice. Blend until smooth and add water if the mixture is too thick. Then season with salt and pepper and set aside. In a bowl, add the baby spinach, chickpeas, and bell pepper. Pour the dressing over top and enjoy!

Orange Chickpea Salad

Packed with vitamins, fiber, and most importantly delicious flavor, this colorful and refreshing salad is definitely worth a try!

Ingredients (1 serving):
150 g chickpeas (drained from a can) or 75 g dried chickpeas
150 g vegetables (cucumber, tomato, white onion)
1 orange
2 TBsp. olive oil
1 TBsp. balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove
Salt and pepper

Preparation:
If using dried chickpeas, soak the chickpeas in cold water overnight. Drain, add new water and cook for 20 minutes. Grate the cucumber, sprinkle with salt and place in a sieve to drain the excess water. Slice the orange in half and then juice one half. Peel the second half and cut into cubes. Make a marinade by adding the orange juice with vinegar, salt and pepper. Cut the onion into thin slices and chop the tomato. Peel and chop the garlic and then sauté in a pan on low heat with the sliced onions. Deglaze the pan using the prepared marinade to create a sauce and set aside. Drain the chickpeas and the cucumber pulp and then mix with the tomatoes. Finally add the sauce, mix well, and enjoy!

Beans – Vegetables, or Protein?

In the case of beans, Metabolic Balance distinguishes between those which belong to the vegetable group and those which belong to the protein group:

Beans, which are considered a source of protein, are legumes (white beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans red kidney beans, lima beans, adzuki beans, black-eyed beans, etc. ). Beans that are classified as vegetables are green beans (string/green beans, French beans or Chinese long beans). There are also new varieties, such as yellow beans, which may also be used. The amount in the nutrition plan always refers to dry AKA uncooked weight. If using already cooked or pre-soaked protein beans, the indicated amount should be simply doubled.