Chickpeas!
Chickpeas or garbanzo beans are one of the most popular types of legumes consumed globally. They’re one of the oldest cultivated crops, dating back to ancient Egypt.
Chickpeas packs a punch. They’re inexpensive, high in dietary fiber, protein, vitamins, and amino acids. They contain minerals like iron, folate, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. They’re low in cholesterol which makes them a great source of nutrients for weight loss management, preventing Type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
I wouldn’t say I’m a hummus expert, but rather a hummus enthusiast! My love for hummus grew while I was living in South Korea. It became a weekly ritual to cook dried chickpeas in my slow cooker.
I love adding hummus to salads, sandwiches, or as a vegetable dip for house parties, which has always been a hit. The key to smooth hummus is having everything at room temperature.
Hummus is so versatile and an easy way of consuming chickpeas. All you need are lemons, tahini, salt, olive oil, cumin, and garlic. I’ve made different variations of hummus from original, roasted red + yellow + orange pepper, parsley, asparagus, cilantro, green onion, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, black bean, and roasted beets. I’ve tried making roasted garlic and roasted poblano pepper, but the taste was a little too bitter for my liking. I’ll have to experiment more.
Have you tried baked chickpeas?
There are so many ways to enjoy chickpeas!
~Reference~
Wallace TC, Murray R, Zelman KM. The Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Chickpeas and Hummus. Nutrients. 2016
