Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans?

It's like "I say tomato, you say tomato."  Garbanzo beans and chickpeas are the same thing. Anyhow, every time I go to Costco, I purchase this massive can of chickpeas.  And once I bring it home, I'll make a batch of homemade hummus, and then look at the remaining chickpeas, and think, what am I going to do with all of these??  So, I decided to explore some different ways to eat chickpeas. 

Giant can = $2.99 @ Costco

I am definitely a huge fan of sweets(especially after dinner).  One of my favorites is chocolate chip cookie dough.  So, when I stumbled upon this recipe for chocolate chip cookie dough balls, I couldn't wait to try it out.  The original recipe calls for cashews (which is probably really good) but I wanted to use up those chickpeas.  So I decided to swap out the cashews for chickpeas, and this is what I got!

Chocolate chip cookie dough balls
adapted from AverieCooks
2/3 cup canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
2 TB agave nectar
1 TB pure maple syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a food processor or Magic Bullet, add chickpeas and oats, and blend until finely chopped.  (should be like a fine flour, but slightly moist from the beans)  Add agave nectar, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.  Blend to combine until mixture resembles cookie dough. (it will be slightly wetter than a normal dough)  Add chocolate chips and stir by hand to incorporate.  Place in bowl and chill for 30 minutes.  Roll into bite size pieces.  Keep refrigerated.

*Note: This recipe can be doubled, tripled, even quadrupled.  When I tested it out, I quadrupled all the ingredients, except the vanilla extract.  I only doubled it.  The vanilla primarily hides the taste of the chickpeas, so adjust to your liking. 

The next recipe comes from Giada De Laurentiis who snacked on this tasty treat while preparing her recipes on her show, Everyday Italian.  I have to give credit to my sister(who has also been known to buy massive cans of chickpeas) for sharing it with me! 

Fried chickpeas
oil for pan frying (I useVirgin Coconut oil; I used enough to cover the bottom of the pan, about 1/8 inch deep)
flour for dredging
1 cup canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
salt

In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Dredge chickpeas in flour, shake off excess flour.  Place chickpeas in hot oil, and cook for 5-10 minutes until golden brown and crispy.  Remove from oil and place on paper towels to absorb extra oil.  Sprinkle with salt. Enjoy!

*These were especially delicious sprinkled over top of a bowl of chili! Mmmm!

Next, these cookies come from the cookbook Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld.  The cookbook is full of recipes that "hide" vegetables in all different types of food from cookies, cakes and muffins to mac n cheese, burgers, and chicken nuggets. The recipes that hide veggies in sweet food always have me curious, so I decided to try this one out just for today's post!

Chocolate Chip cookies
(Recipe from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld)

Nonstick cookie spray
1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 cup trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread
2 large egg whites
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1(15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (I used 1 1/2 cups)
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup old- fashioned oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.  In large mixing bowl,  beat sugar and butter until smooth.  Beat in egg whites and vanilla, then chickpeas and chocolate chips.  Add the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt and mix on low speed until a thick dough forms.  Drop by tablespoonful onto baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.  Bake until cookies are golden brown and just set, about 11 to 13 minutes; do not overbake.  Transfer to a rack to cool.  Store in airtight container for up to 3 days. 

*Note: Although I haven't tried it, I'm pretty sure you can just add chickpeas to any basic chocolate chip cookie recipe you have. If you have issues with texture, it may help to blend the chickpeas until smooth before adding them. And, although you are adding a healthy food to these cookies, they are still cookies and are by no means a good "diet" food. So enjoy them in moderation. 

Last, but not least, my hummus recipe....the whole reason I bought that huge can of chickpeas.

My Hummus
1 cup chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
2 TB light mayonnaise
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4-1/3 cup of water (use less water for thicker hummus)

Combine all ingredients in food processor or Magic Bullet, and blend until smooth.   Serve with pita chips or crudites.(< what? who talks like that?  I mean raw veggies)

So,if you don't already like chickpeas, you may be thinking, "why should I add them to my diet?"  Well, let me tell you.  Chickpeas are chock full of nutrients and minerals including folic acid and calcium.  They are also an excellent source of protein and insoluble fiber.  You can find more nutritional information at www.livestrong.com