Chickpeas — you either love ’em or you hate ’em. I submit a third option today, which is “conversion.” Maybe you just hate chickpeas because you have only ever tried them straight out of the can. I have 3 healthy recipe ideas for you today that just might take you from being a chickpea hater to a chickpea lover! Chickpeas are good for you! They go by another name as well — garbanzo beans. They’re part of the legume family of plants. Culinary experts typically describe their flavor as “nut-like.”
Chickpeas are nutritionally dense. They contain a substantial amount of macronutrients, such as fiber and protein. They’re also packed with minerals your body needs to be healthy. For instance, chickpeas are loaded with the trace mineral “mangenese,” which helps your body form connective tissues, bones, blood-clotting factors and sex hormones. (All of that in those tiny little ‘beans’!) If your goal is to consume more foods containing calcium, iron, potassium and zinc, then you’ll want to try these three healthy recipes using chickpeas!
Healthy recipe ideas with the word “burger” in them make us smile
There’s just something about burgers that sparks our appetite, right? Even people who avoid meat like to find alternative healthy recipe ideas using tofu or veggies, so that they can enjoy burgers, too! The next time you’re in the mood for a burger, make it with chickpeas! You’ll want to make sure you have some nice onion rolls on hand for the bun, as well as a Bermuda onion and some spicy mustard. You can also dress your garbanzo bean burger with lettuce, tomato and cheese (which is healthy, by the way) if you like. Here’s a good recipe to try. It calls for a whole wheat bun and different condiments. (My family likes the onion rolls and spicy mustard.) The best thing about cooking is that you can adapt healthy recipe ideas to suit your own family’s preferences!
Crunchy, salty food lovers will enjoy these healthy recipe ideas!
I’m a crunchy, salty food lover, for sure. I am NOT a fan of high fructose corn syrup and saturated fat and high levels of sodium, which are the three main ingredients of most crunchy, salty foods on the market today. If you crave healthy recipe ideas for snack foods, have no fear! Chickpeas are here! The key factor here is that you want your chickpeas to have a good CRUNCH. This blog, which is hosted by a former-chemistry-teacher-turned-homeschooling-momma-of-six-kiddos, has the BEST crunchy chickpea recipe I’ve found yet! Remember, it’s all about individual preference. Have fun experimenting with different flavored oils (healthy kinds) and spices or seasonings to create several styles of crunchy, healthy chickpea snacks!
It’s a great feeling when your kids say they want a snack and you have something on hand that is NOT toxic to their health! The specific recipe I linked provides a few tips to ensure that your chickpea snacks will turn out crispy, so don’t skip those parts. If you create a flavor combination that your family loves, come back and share it with us!
Anything with the word “Mediterranean” in it has to be good, right?
Our healthy recipe ideas wouldn’t be complete without a quick and easy meal that can come in handy on a busy day. How does a delicious, Mediterranean chickpea stew that can cook in last than 30 minutes sound? It also contains spinach and feta cheese — YUM. Like I said, you can whip this healthy meal up in under half an hour. If you want to get things going before you start your day, however, I’m sure you could toss the ingredients into a crock pot. I’d probably use the low setting if I were doing it this way. This yummy dish includes Bermuda onion that you saute in olive oil, garlic, cayenne pepper and other seasonings, diced tomatoes, broth, the other ingredients I mentioned earlier and, of course, the star of the show: chickpeas!
Regular consumption of chickpeas can improve your health
Studies show that people who regularly consume chickpeas have less trouble controlling their weight. Data also shows that chickpeas help prevent metabolic disorders and cardiovascular disease. Incorporating chickpeas into your diet can also help you prevent type-2 diabetes! Chickpeas contain lycopene and several other bioactive compounds that are known to help prevent cancer.
If you were already a chickpea lover before you read it, you’ve now acquired three new healthy recipe ideas to enjoy! If you weren’t, you’ve hopefully been convinced after learning how healthy they are, to give them another try!
