I call them Chickpeas...

I call them Chickpeas, but they are also called Garbanzo beans :)


And, I just can't get enough of them.  I tend to listen to my body when it craves something.  There is obviously something it is short of, and the only way it can be provided is, to my mind, by giving me a craving which will satisfy that shortfall.  Lately I have been craving chickpeas.

Tomato and chickpea soup.  I used raw,
sprouted chickpeas for the crunch factor :)

They are such a versatile food.  They can be eaten cooked and placed in soups and stews, or made into a flour, ground and (shaped into balls and) fried as falafel (and served with an almond mayonnaise - yummy!), fermented into an alcoholic drink (haven't tried that yet), made into hummus (raw or cooked) or sprouted and eaten raw in salads, or as a snack.


Chickpeas can easily be cooked in the solar oven, or on the stove top.


Here is the nutritional information on them (taken from: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4326/2): 

Chickpeas are low in Saturated fat, and very low in Cholesterol and Sodium.  They are also an excellent source of Dietary Fiber, Protein and Copper, and a very good source of Folate and Manganese

Recent studies have also shown that they can assist in lowering cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Bean and lentil sprouter

How to sprout Chickpeas

Garbanzo beans contain enzyme inhibitors, which are dormant until they are soaked and start to sprout.

Take a cup of chickpeas and place in your sprouter.  If you don;t have a sprouter, you can soak the chickpeas in a glass jar.

Simply place the chickpeas in the jar, add three times as much water and soak overnight.

Drain the water and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly.  Drain well and cover the neck of the jar with cheesecloth / muslin and secure that with a rubber band.  Set the jar at an angle (don't completely invert the jar as the sprouts need oxygen to enter through the cloth) and place in a position out of sunlight and at room temperature.

Rinse and drain morning and evening until you notice that your chickpeas are beginning to sprout (a tiny white shoot will start growing from the chickpea.  This should happen roughly 2 - 3 days from the initial soaking.

By sprouting the chickpeas you reduce phytic acid, a type of phosphorous compound found in seeds, grains, beans and nuts.  This acid affects your body's ability to absorb nutrients.  Soaking the chickpeas ensures that you will be able to digest the peas easier and absorb more nutrition per serving.  To ensure a silky and smooth finish, blend the raw peas for longer than you would do for cooked peas.

Raw Hummus

(yields 1 cup)

Ingredients:

1 cup sprouted chickpeas

1 - 2 cloves of garlic

2 - 3 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley or coriander

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup filtered water

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Using a food processor blend the raw sprouted chickpeas, garlic, tahini, parsley/coriander, lemon juice, soy sauce and olive oil together until it forms a smooth paste.

Taste and adjust the lemon juice salt and pepper.  Use as a dip with raw veggies.

Chickpea and pasta salad

I recently had this for dinner.  It ticked all the boxes - being delicious, filling and completely satisfying.  And a brilliant way of using up left over pasta :)

Chickpea & Pasta Salad

(Serves 1)

Ingredients:

One cup of sprouted chickpeas

One cup of cooked, cooled pasta of your choice (I used spaghetti in the photo above, but any pasta will suffice)

One cup of grated carrot and cabbage

A couple of broccoli spears - roughly chopped

8 - 10 cocktail tomatoes - quartered

A handful of Walnuts - roughly chopped

A sprinkling of crisp, drained and cooled, onion pieces

1000 Island dressing

Combine all the ingredients and dress with the 1000 Island dressing.  Enjoy :) Filling healthy and nutritious!

As an experiment, this year I have a couple of chickpea plants growing in my garden.  Judging by the success that is already visible, next year I'm planting many more...

Caution:  Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans) can cause a severe allergic reaction to those who are sensitive to them.  They contain purines which can lead to an excessive accumulation of uric acid, which may contribute to health problems, such as gout and kidney stones.  Chickpeas also contain large amounts of oxalate.  Individuals who have a history of oxolate-containing kidney stones should avoid Chickpeas / Garbanzo beans.