chickpea – Page 2 – Metabolic Balance Blog

The humble chickpea is definitely something that needs to be a regular dinner guest! As a member of the legume family they are highly valuable due to their excellent protein content. It’s due to their wonderful protein that they are sometimes called “the chicken of the vegetable kingdom”!

MB 11-24 Kichererbsen

The high proportion of essential amino acids in chickpeas together with with five percent fat makes them highly nutritious. Their are rich in potassium and magnesium (great for heart and muscle health), phosphorus and calcium (valuable for bone health) and iron. In addition, chickpeas contain vitamins A and B as well as traces of vitamin C and E.

Chickpeas are not only fabulous in stews or curries – they are also a delicious substitute for snacking especially when you might be tempted to look for a sweet or two. Here’s a quick snack-tip: Drain a can of chickpeas (check that the can only has water and salt and no added sugar). Distribute on kitchen towel to allow to dry. Gently fry, the dried chickpeas in a dry non-stick pan. Delicious!

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 (15 oz) can

1½ teaspoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¾ teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

a dash of cayenne pepper

Instructions

Heat your oven to 425 degrees F.

For this recipe you can use canned chickpeas or dried chickpeas that you have soaked overnight. When you are ready to make the recipe, pat the chickpeas dry and remove any loose skin.

Place the chickpeas in a bowl, add a bit of olive oil and then mix until the chickpeas are covered with oil. Combine the seasonings together in a bowl and then add to the chickpeas mixing them together with your hand or a spoon. Once the chickpeas are covered with oil and seasoning, pour the chickpeas onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

Bake for 25 minutes, stirring the chickpeas occasionally to make sure they don’t burn.

Once your chickpeas are done, you can use the chickpeas as a protein for a salad or with some Zucchini pasta. Just remember to measure out your portion size and store the rest to use another day. Also, if you use the chickpeas, you can’t add another protein to the meal.

NOTE: A few roasted chickpeas will also work great in your bag when you need a way to get your protein bite in at the start of a meal but don’t carry them around if you are trying to break a snacking habit. No eating between meals please that is one of the metabolic balance rules!

Credit for chickpea photo