So you’re going through your cupboards looking for some foodie inspiration and you stumble upon a tin of chickpeas. This affordable pantry staple (great to add to curries, stews and soups) can be whipped up in several ways to make creative snacks.
Roast Them
1. Sriracha It
Drain two tins of chickpeas, spread on a foil-lined baking tray and toss with salt, a few squirts of Sriracha sauce and three tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Bake at 200C for about 40 minutes (shaking pan in between), until golden and crispy.
2. Dip It
Drain chickpeas and place in a bowl with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 clove garlic (crushed), one teaspoon ground cumin, two tablespoons tahini paste, four tablespoons water, two tablespoons olive oil and one teaspoon paprika. Take a hand-held blender and blitz ingredients until well combined. Add more water if necessary. Stir in a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
3. Sweeten It
Drain and rinse one tin of chickpeas, bake for 35 to 45 minutes until crispy at 180C. Remove from oven and toss immediately with 2 tablespoons honey, half a teaspoon cinnamon, a tiny pinch nutmeg and a tiny pinch of salt. Enjoy as is, or place back in the oven for a further 5 to 10 minutes to caramelise.
Toss them into a curry
There’s nothing more comforting than a saucy curry. This version is a chickpea “butter chicken” vegan curry, but it’s rich enough to satisfy any militant meat-eater.
Or into a salad
Don’t be deceived by its simple appearance — the secret to this salad is in a sprightly dressing.
Turn them into a ‘Falafel-style’ burger
Seasoning like coriander and cumin make this already-flavourful dish from #WHNextFitFoodie Daniella Lagerwey a true trip for the taste buds.
Whip them into hummus
Hummus. Arguably the best spread in the entire world. You can eat it with crackers, spread it on a falafel burger or simply eat it out of the tub with a spoon. Here, you’ll find seven easy-to-make hummus recipes brought to you by the team.
Turn them into cookies
Yup, this is undeniable proof that chickpeas can be used in sweet dishes, too. Now before you knock the idea, give these delicious gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip chickpea cookie dough bites a go.
Use them to make mayonnaise
Aquafaba, often shortened to AF in the vegan/foodie blogosphere, is the liquid that you discard when you crack open a tin of chickpeas. That liquid is vegan gold. It whips up like egg white and works equally well as a yolk replacement to make a delicious mayo.
Source: https://www.womenshealthsa.co.za/food-and-nutrition/feed/
