Skip to content
These tangy, crunchy beans pack a flavor that will have you going back for more
Coming from an Italian background, garbanzo beans have always been around me my whole life. I never gave too much thought to what they were other than some delicious beige bean that tastes great in and on everything. Nowadays I always have a few cans around the kitchen because ( like chia seeds ) I will put them in everything, literally. But what is so great about these little guys? After doing some research, I’ve found they are far better than I’ve ever imagined.
Garbanzo beans go by many names- Chickpeas, Bengal Grams, Egyptian peas. ‘Garbanzo’ actually means “small-ram” in Latin and was named as such for the odd texture and shape each bean has. This ancient legume originated in the Middle East and is documented to have been harvested as far back as 3,000BC.
Garbanzo Beans were, and still are coveted for their high fiber and protein content. 2 cups of cooked beans are equal to your daily value of fiber and have 29.6 grams of protein! They are linked to many health benefits and are incredible aids in digestive support and colon health. Garbanzo beans are heavy in insoluble fiber, which remains undigested until it reaches the colon. It is then metabolized by bacteria found only in that area and converted into Short Chain Fatty Acids or SCFA’s. These SCFA’s are fuel for the cells lining the walls of your intestine and promote a positive balanced system.
Surprisingly, there are more than one kind of garbanzo bean. They aren’t all the large, soft, beige beans you find in salad bars across america. In fact, those kind ( called the Kabuli-type ) only make up an very small portion of the world’s Garbanzo beans. The most common and popular variety is called the Desi-type. These vary in color, but are generally range form a dark beige to a walnut brown. The irregular shape and darker color may be off-putting to some, but they hold a higher nutritional value than the Kabuli-type. Their thicker shell, which gives the darker color, is also much higher in nutrients and antioxidants
( Scource: www.whfoods.com )
Pretty amazing, yes? Not only are these guys delicious, versatile and high in nutritional value but have also been linked to suppressing appetite.
In this meal, garbanzo beans have been spiced and roasted to produce something akin to a crispy french fry. Layered over lemon infused quinoa and freshly chopped lettuce, this meal is healthy and filling.
Here’s What you’ll need:
- 4 cups garbanzo beans
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 jalapeño, seeded
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 Lemon, zest and juice of
- 1 c Quinoa
- 2 c water
- Lettuce
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Preheat oven to 450
- Grease baking tray with 2 tsp olive oil. Add garbanzo beans, Roast for 7 Minutes
- In the meantime; finely mince seeded Jalapeño, Garlic and ginger
- Add quinoa and water in pan and bring to boil. Add lemon juice after 5 minutes. Cook until water is thoroughly absorbed
- In a large bowl toss together roasted garbanzo, minced garlic, ginger, jalapeño and remaining olive oil until throughly assimilated.
- Place back in baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Turn, then roast for another 5 minutes.
- Top with lemon zest
