by Chantal Davis, nutritionist & health advocate | photo by Janis Jean Photography –
Chickpeas are a staple in our house, and we always have a stash of dried chickpeas in our pantry. They are easy to cook from scratch after soaking overnight and they are an excellent ingredient to add to your meal prep rotation. A great source of carbohydrates, protein and fibre, these versatile legumes are easy to add to any breakfast, lunch or dinner. They can even be a sneaky protein addition to recipes such as in this chocolate-chickpea smoothie bowl!
Chocolate Chickpea Smoothie Bowl
¼ cup chickpeas (canned or cooked from scratch)
1 banana
¼ cup cauliflower (frozen or fresh, chopped)
¼ cup zucchini (frozen or fresh, chopped)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp nut butter (peanut or almond work great)
½ cup coconut milk (or whatever you prefer)
1 scoop of protein powder (optional)
2 medjool dates, pitted
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth; you may need to add more milk or water to get desired consistency. Pour into bowl and top with shredded coconut, granola, berries or whatever your heart desires.
Chickpea Salad Sandwich
1 cup chickpeas (canned or cooked from scratch)
½ cup red onion, finely diced
1 – 2 tbsp capers (to taste)
1 dill pickle, finely diced
1 rib celery, finely diced
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1/3 cup mayonnaise or plain yogurt
1 tbsp hot sauce (we use Frank’s)
salt and pepper to taste
Place ingredients into small mixing bowl and mash lightly with a fork, leaving some chickpeas intact for texture. Spread over toasted bread or dip with crackers. Great for meal prep; will last in the fridge for up to a week.
Baked Cauliflower Chickpea Falafels (30 falafels)
2 cups dry chickpeas, soaked overnight
½ head cauliflower
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
½ tsp sumac (optional but worth finding)
3 – 4 cloves garlic, minced
½ yellow onion, diced
½ bunch parsley
½ bunch cilantro
10 mint leaves
¾ tsp salt (or to taste)
¾ tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
¼ cup chickpea flour
Drain and rinse chickpeas and set aside. In food processor, pulse cauliflower until very finely chopped. Move to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the chickpeas to food processor and pulse until finely ground and add to mixing bowl; it may be easier to do the chickpeas in a couple of batches to make sure they are thoroughly ground up. Add the herbs, spices and lemon juice / zest to food processor and pulse until herbs are finely chopped. Add mixture to mixing bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. The mixture should hold together when formed into a ball; if it doesn’t you will need to add a bit of the chickpea flour a tablespoon at a time until it does.
Using 3-4 tbsp mixture at a time, form into patties and place on an oiled and lined baking sheet. Bake in oven at 425°, flipping patties halfway, until deep golden brown and crispy on the outside, about 25-30 minutes. Serve with your favourite tzatziki or tahini dip as a bowl, salad or in a pita. You can also fry the falafel if you prefer.
