Tag: Chickpeas

Creamy Chickpea Soup

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As I have multiple recipes including it, you can probably tell I love turmeric. It has a wonderful slightly sweet yet earthy flavor and you can’t beat the beautiful yellow color. So here we are with another recipe using turmeric. Creamy Chickpea Soup is a quick cooking soup that use a roux as a base to get the creamy texture.

When I first started cooking roux’s were slightly intimidating but after years of practice it’s really a simple ratio and accepting that you may need a bit of patience. So to start just dice about a cup of celery and 1/2 an onion. Place these in a soup pot with a bit of oil and 1 tsp of garlic. Saute the onion, celery and garlic for about 5-10 minutes until the onion is translucent.

I used frozen celery. Bought fresh but diced and frozen for future use.

Once the onion is translucent, add 2 tbsp of butter. Let this fully melt then add 1/4 cup of flour and combine them well. The vegetables will begin lumping together.

Continue sauteing this for 3-5 minutes then very slowly stir in 2 cups of milk to combine with the roux. The temp should be medium high as the milk will need to come to a simmer. Milk can scald very easily so just make sure the temp isn’t too high and that you are stirring continuously. As you stir it should begin to thicken. Set the temperature to medium and while stirring frequently allow the milk to thicken. You should be able to feel the difference as you stir.

Once the milk has thickened, add 2 cups of broth, once again pouring in slowly and stirring consistently. This may take away some of the thickness so make sure the milk is thoroughly thickened before adding broth. Allow this to simmer for about 5-10 minutes once added, stirring frequently.

Add 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables, 15 oz of chickpeas (drained and rinsed), 1 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the mixed vegetables are cooked through and serve.

Creamy Chickpea Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1/2 an onion
  • 1 tsp garlic
  • oil of choice
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 15 oz can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Diced 1 cup of celery and 1/2 an onion. Place these in a pot with 1 tsp garlic and a bit of oil. Saute for about 5-10 minutes until the onions are translucent.
  2. Add 2 tbsp butter, let this melt and combine with the veggies. Once butter is fully melted, add 1/4 cup of flour. Stir to combine the veggies, butter and flour and create a roux. Let this cook for 3-5 minutes.
  3. Very slowly add 2 cups of milk, stirring continuously as you add it. As you continue stirring, bring the milk to simmering. As you stir you should feel the milk begin to thicken. Simmer about 5-10 minutes until thickened.
  4. Slowly add 2 cups of vegetable broth, stirring frequently. Allow this to simmer for another 5-10 minutes until thickened.
  5. Add 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp paprika, 15 oz can of chickpea (drained and rinsed), and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the mixed veggies are cooked, then serve!

Cauliflower Chana Masala

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One of my favorite throw together dinners on a busy night is Chana Masala by Tasty Bite. My mom first introduced this brand to me after buying it at Costco. It’s so simple. You can just throw it in the microwave, make a pot of rice and you have dinner. My only complaint was the lack of vegetables, so I set out to make my own similar recipe based off the packet.

Dice 2 potatoes, 1/2 an onion and 1/2 a head of cauliflower. Put these in a large pot with a bit of oil and 1/2 tsp garlic. Saute 5-10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of vegetable broth and continue to saute for 10 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.

Add 30 oz of tomato sauce, 1 cup of vegetable broth, 15 oz can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed), 1/4 cup of tomato paste, 1 tbsp cumin, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp turmeric, and 1/4 tsp ginger. Let this simmer about 45 minutes until the potatoes and cauliflower are cooked through. When there’s about 10 minutes remaining add in 1 cup of peas. Serve with naan or over rice.

Cauliflower Chana Masala

Ingredients:

  • 15 oz can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • 2 potatoes
  • 1/2 head of cauliflower
  • 1/2 an onion
  • 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth (divided)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 30 oz tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 cup of frozen peas

Instructions:

  1. Dice potatoes, cauliflower and onion. Place these in a large pot with oil and 1/2 tsp garlic. Saute on medium high heat for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth to cook it down a little bit (5-10 min).
  2. Add 30 oz tomato sauce, 1 cup of broth, the drained and rinsed chickpeas, 1 tbsp cumin, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp turmeric, and 1/4 tsp ground ginger. Allow this to simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour, until cauliflower and potatoes are soft. About 10 minutes before it’s done, add 1 cup of frozen peas. Serve over rice or with naan.

Chickpea Nuggets

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I wish I could say I made these for my 3 year old, but apparently I have the only 3 year old in the world who won’t eat nuggets in practically any form. No idea why, the only nugget like food he eats is those Dr. Praeger’s spinach dinosaur bites. Granted they are delicious, so I understand why. Maybe that’ll have to go on the list for things to try to replicate at home.

So after much trial and error, I’ve finally got these so they have enough flavor, aren’t crumbly and have a crunch on the outside but softness in the middle. Now, full disclosure, I think any chickpea blend has the potential to be crumbly and making sure you start with the right texture will make a difference. These hold up though, they don’t break apart and I only lost crumbles in ketchup.

Simple process to make them. Drain and rinse 2 (15 oz) cans of chickpeas, put these in a food processor along with the following ingredients: 2 diced carrots, 1/2 tsp garlic, 1 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 1/2 tsp dried cilantro, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 eggs, 2 tbsp bread crumbs, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast. Blend well. Your texture should be similar to hummus but a little grittier. A small amount of un-chopped carrot or chickpea at the top of the food processor is okay, but you want the majority of it to be well blended. If you’re having trouble getting it to blend well, add 1 tbsp of water at a time and blend again. Add more water as needed to get the desired consistency.

Good example of desired texture. Left side: Hummus like, Right side: a little grittier with some pieces of carrot and chickpea. Once stirred together, it balances out to the right texture.

Take the blade out of your food processor and begin shaping your nuggets. You will want to use about golf ball sized amounts of the blend. Place them on a prepared baking sheet (strongly recommend parchment paper or a silpat mat) and gently press down with your finger tips to form the nugget shape. Depending on the size of each nugget you should end up with 15-20 nuggets.

My baking sheets are clean but well loved/used. Ignore that & enjoy your chickpea nuggets.

Preheat your oven to 425. Place each baking sheet in for 20 minutes, flip, then bake for another 10 – 15 minutes. They should be easy to lift when you flip them after the 20 minutes. There will likely be a light brown layer on the bottom after flipping (as seen below). If they don’t flip easily, give them another couple minutes and try again. After the second round in the oven, the chickpea nuggets are all done and ready to serve!

Chickpea Nuggets

Makes 15-20 nuggets

Ingredients:

  • 2 (15 oz) cans of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • 2 diced carrots
  • 1/2 tsp garlic
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried cilantro
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp bread crumbs
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2-4 tbsp of water

Instructions:

  1. Drain and rinse both cans of chickpeas. Add the chickpeas to a food processor. Add all remaining ingredients except water. The texture should be similar to hummus on the bottom of the food processor. It’s okay if there is a bit of un-chopped chickpea or carrot on top. If you are having trouble getting the food processor to blend well, add 1 tbsp of water and blend again. Continue adding water 1 tbsp at a time until you get the desired consistency (see pic above).
  2. Remove the blade, preheat your oven to 425, and being forming your nuggets. Using golf ball sized handfuls, place these on a prepared baking sheet (parchment paper or silpat mat). Lightly press down with your finger tips to create the shape.
  3. Place baking sheets in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, flip each nugget and bake for 10-15 more minutes. The bottoms should create a nice crust within the first 20 minutes and should be easy to flip. After the second round in the oven, they are ready to serve!
  4. Note: If you have trouble flipping or they start to break when you try to flip, put it back in the oven for a few minutes so that crust can form and try again.

Oven Roasted Garlic Chickpeas

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Chickpeas are a big staple in our house. They are high in nutrients including fiber and protein and good source of calories. My son used to eat them plain, just drained and rinsed. They were a great snack for him, a side for dinner, or a perfect topping on salad. My husband was looking for some additional work snacks so we decided to doctor them up a bit and these hit the spot.

Start by preheating your oven to 400. Drain and rinse a 15 oz can of chickpeas. Place the rinsed chickpeas in a small bowl. Add 1 tsp of Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp nutritional yeast, and a little salt and pepper. If you don’t have Mrs. Dash, garlic and pepper seasoning works as well.

Stir to coat all of the chickpeas. Pour the coated chickpeas on to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Place the sheet pan in the oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes. These chickpeas do not turn out crunchy. If you prefer them crunchy, add an additional 10-15 minutes to the cook time, stirring about halfway.

Oven Roasted Garlic Chickpeas

Ingredients:

  • 15 oz can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp nutritional yeast
  • salt and pepper

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400. Drain and rinse a 15 oz can of chickpeas. Transfer the chickpeas to a small bowl. Add 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp nutritional yeast, and a little salt and pepper to your taste. Give a stir to coat.
  2. Pour the chickpeas in to a prepared baking dish. Place them in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
  3. Note: These chickpeas do not come out crunchy. If you’d prefer them crunchy, add an additional 10-15 minutes to the cook time and stir about half way through.

Chickpea Salad with Cucumbers and Grapes

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When I was 15 I started working at a local ice cream shop. It was seriously the best first job a young teen could ask for. Great hours, tips, working with mainly with other kids my age, free samples, and you always left smelling like fresh baked goods.

The owner was a wonderful baker and made everything from scratch. German chocolate cake, cheese cake, apple pie, carrot cake, the whole lot. So you are probably wondering how this related with Chickpea Salad. Steve is the one who introduced me to grapes in chicken salad. Now as an adult, I know this isn’t that novel. However, to 15 year old me, I was like “what a great idea!”

Anyways, flash forward another 15 years and my kid won’t touch onion, celery or my Jackfruit Salad. When I remembered Steve adding in grapes to his salad, I knew Mr. 3 would go for that. Just replaced the celery with cucumber and he was sold. The only problem is I don’t like cucumber so we always have to make two different types but at lunch time we’re both happy and that’s what matters.

Chickpea Salad couldn’t be easier. Start by draining and rinsing a 15oz can of chickpeas. Put the rinsed chickpeas into a medium bowl (I obviously used too small of a bowl). Dice 1/2 a medium cucumber and cut about 10-15 grapes in half. Add those to the chickpea bowl. Add 2 tbsp of mayo and stir until everything is coated.

At this point do a taste test to determine if more mayo is needed. If is so, add a little more & test again. Once mayo is right, add some salt and pepper and you are ready for lunch. If you prefer your chickpeas not to be whole, you can crush them using the back of a serving spoon or a potato masher, if you have one.

One of the great parts of Chickpea Salad is that it’s easy to change out for what you have. No kaiser roll, just use regular bread or eat it without bread. No cucumbers, use celery. There’s no rules, you do you.

Chickpea Salad with Cucumbers and Grapes

Little hands trying to dig in.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 15 oz can of chickpeas
  • 1/2 a medium cucumber
  • 10-15 grapes
  • 2-3 tbsp mayo
  • 4 kaiser rolls (or bread of choice)
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Instructions:

1. Start by draining and rinsing a 15 oz can of chickpeas. Move the rinsed chickpeas to a medium bowl.

2. Dice 1/2 a medium cucumber, then cut about 10-15 grapes in half. Add both the cucumber and grapes to the bowl with chickpeas.

3. Add 2-3 tbsp of mayo to the chickpeas and stir until all combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve!