What Are Chickpeas? 

The humble chickpea (also known as a garbanzo bean) is a powerhouse of fiber. Did you know that one cup of chickpeas provides half your daily requirement of fiber? The World’s Healthiest Foods site even stated that those who ate chickpeas had lower total and LDL cholesterol than those who ate fiber from other plant sources.

How Do You Cook Chickpeas?

I almost never buy canned chickpeas. I buy them dry and boil a large batch of them. (Click the link to learn how to cook dried chickpeas.) Then I drain and dry them, stick them in a freeze bag, and freeze them to preserve their longevity. It saves you from extra salt and preservatives, as well as saves recycling all those cans!

Here are 4 ways that I enjoy incorporating chickpeas into my gluten-free diet.

Hummus – Cooked/ Canned Chickpeas

The most obvious chickpea dish is hummus. Hummus is high in fiber and loaded with garlic and tahini. The combination of ingredients are a great way to fight against anemia. It’s great paired with any vegetable or gluten-free cracker. It’s a great dip to bring to parties and an excellent dip to add to a healthy lunch. Follow the link to my homemade hummus recipe and indulge in this healthy snack!

Blondies- Canned Chickpeas

While black bean brownies seem to be popular, these chickpea recipe blondie cousins should be getting some press. These Flourless Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies from Ambitious Kitchen use maple syrup as a sweetener instead of refined sugar. Did I mention that these are EGG FREE?

They do call for peanut or almond butter, but I think SunButter could also be used if you have nut allergies. These are thick and rich like fudge, not really a baked texture. It’s a great way to sneak in fiber and protein into your kid’s afternoon snack!

Gluten Free Falafel – Raw Chickpeas

Unlke the other chickpea recipes listed here, these falafel use RAW chickpeas. While they are soaked, they are NOT cooked. The soaked chickpeas are then ground with other spices, and deep fried. These gluten free falael are a labor of love, but one with a seriously delicious outcome.

Socca- Chickpea Flour

Let’s bring this chickpea lineup back to the savory side. Did you know you can make an excellent flatbread with equal parts chickpea flour and water? Socca is a traditional flatbread made in the south of France. Add a bit of salt, a touch of oil and a sprinkling of rosemary, and you have a snack you won’t be able to set down.

Eat it on it’s own, dipped in marinara, or any other dip on your mind. Socca also makes a great base as a pizza crust. You can see the recipe and more uses on my previous blog post about socca.

Other Gluten Free Chickpea Based Recipes I Recommend

Vegetarian Mock Tuna Casserole from Vegetarian Mamma

Quick Creamy Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry from 40 Aprons (I eat this twice a month)

Chipotle Chickpea Burrito Bowls from A Saucy Kitchen

Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip from Chocolate Covered Katie

Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas from Fearless Dining (Great Crunchy, Nut Free Snack!) 

Gluten Free American Pancakes (using aquafaba/ chickpea water) from Becky Excell

So what’s your favorite way to use chickpeas? I’m always looking for new recipes to try! Leave me a note below!

Originally Published January 2017

The post 10 Gluten Free Ways to Eat Chickpeas appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Why Hummus is a Great Addition to a Healthy Gluten-Free Diet

A typical (traditional) hummus recipe has a few obligatory ingredients, which are also part of a healthy diet. These include chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a power house of nutrition. One cup of chickpeas has 14 grams of high quality protein and 12 grams of fiber. Chickpeas are also high in folate, which helps in the production of red blood cells. This is ideal for those with Celiac Disease, because many suffer from anemia, or a lack of red blood cells.

Health Benefits of Tahini  / Sesame Seeds

Hummus also contains tahini. Tahini is sesame seed paste. Tahini is an excellent source of copper. One of copper’s main roles is to help incorporate iron into red blood cells. Copper is also an antioxidant and maintains structure of the blood vessels. Tahini is used in a multitude of Middle Eastern dishes. I’ve also found it to be great on salmon!

Why You Should Add More Lemon to Your Diet

Hummus also contains lemon juice. Which is also, surprise, a good source of folate! It’s also an excellent source of vitamin C, which supports the immune system. My mother had an uncle that swore by the benefits of hot water and lemon every morning. If memory serves me right, he lived very happily well into his nineties.

So what are you waiting for? Make a batch for yourself and eat to your health! Wanting to fulfill your sweet tooth? Try these 7 Vegan Dessert Hummus Recipes, gathered by Vegans Baby.

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Hummus

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. cooked chickpeas one can
• 1/4 water from can of chickpeas
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin

Instructions

• Place chickpeas in mini food processor, along with water and garlic, and blend / puree until almost smooth.
• Remove lid and add olive oil, tahini and lemon juice. Replace lid and blend thoroughly.
• Remove lid and add salt, and cumin. Puree thoroughly.
• Using rubber scraper, scoop out hummus from mini processor and into bowl. Hummus can be eaten immediately, but it better after having chilled a few hours.
• Enjoy with vegetables, crackers or use as a spread on sandwiches!

Looking for other great chickpea recipes? Check out 4 of my favorite chickpea recipes, including brownies! I also highly recommend this Vegetarian Mock Tuna Casserole from VegetarianMamma!

**This post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

The post Hummus- Nature’s Anemia Fighting Bean Dip appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Carbohydrates as Part of a Healthy Diet

I despise diet trends. I realize I may lose a reader or two (or ten) by saying this. However, I cringe when people demonize an entire food group. For example, carbohydrates. Our body needs them to function properly. (If a pediatric doctor at the hospital reinforces why this is true, as your Type 1 Diabetes kid lays in the peds unit with ketoacidosis, you listen.) While it’s true that too many refined carbohydrates do not help our system, one doesn’t need to cut carbohydrates completely. Whole grains, with B vitamins, maintain important systems in our body, such as metabolism and our ability to sleep.

Rudi’s gluten free tortillas supplies another key nutrient. Fiber. “Most Americans don’t get enough fiber to begin with and when they make the switch to a gluten-free diet, it only gets worse,” says Anne Lee, MSEd, RD, LD.” These tortillas boast 5 grams of fiber per tortilla. In addition, these tortillas remain low in sodium. I highly recommend warming these tortillas in a warm skillet.

Monounsaturated Fats and Avocados

This recipe calls for avocados. While avocados do contain fats, monounsaturated fats can help lower cholesterol. In addition, avocados contain fiber, vitamins and minerals, and helps satiate hunger. WebMD states “In one study, people who added a fresh avocado half to their lunch were less interested in eating during the next three hours.”

Looking for ways to add avocado to your diet? Try some of these recipes from trusted friends! This Roasted Avocado & Bacon Guacamole from Life After Wheat adds a new taste to a standard favorite. Flippin’ Delicious adds avocado to her Gluten Free Southwest Pasta Salad, and What the Fork makes Easy Avocado Truffles your kids will love! A tip on cutting your avocado. I cut mine in half by laying it on the counter, inserting the knife along the side, and spinning the avocado until cut in half. Twist the two sides apart and you’re ready to get cooking!

Adding Beans and Fiber to Your Diet

But let’s get back to these quesadillas. They require few ingredients and come together in a snap. You can use either of the Rudi’s gluten free tortillas for these, but I chose to use the plain variety. (They also make spinach tortillas.) Why? Because they were on sale and a gluten-free-girl needs to save where she can, right? This recipe utilizes corn and black beans, thereby boosting your fiber intake. Just one half a cup of beans per day contains about half of a woman’s recommended daily intake for fiber. (Women should consume at least 25 grams of fiber per day. Most consume only 12-13 grams.)

How Many Calories in a Serving of Grains?

As previously stated, I based this recipe on a burrito recipe I had in a diet book. The original recipe called for one whole wheat tortilla. One whole wheat tortilla contains 160 calories, which is two servings of grains. However, Rudi’s gluten free tortillas contain only 90 calories, allowing me to have TWO tortillas instead of one. (I don’t know who said less is more, but they couldn’t have been talking about food.)

Therefore I simply used the same filling suggested in the book, and placed it between two Rudi’s gluten free tortillas. Then I cooked them on the skillet and cut them into wedges. Then, I served them with two tablespoons of salsa, and two tablespoons (1 ounce) of avocado. Lots of flavor that keeps you filling full throughout the day is always a win in my book!

Looking for more recipe ideas that don’t pack on the calories? Check out these 12 Gluten Free Dinner Recipes Under 400 Calories from My Fitness Pal. You may also like my recipe for Gluten Free Black Bean Enchiladas!

(Please note that this recipe is for one serving.)

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Gluten Free Black Bean Quesadillas

Ingredients

• 2 Rudi’s gluten-free tortillas
• 1/4 c. black beans
• 1.5 oz. corn
• 1/4 medium tomato- diced
• 1 oz. shredded cheddar or dairy free cheese of your choice
• 2 tbsp. salsa
• 2 tbsp. mashed avocado

Instructions

• Chop tomato
• Heat black beans until warmed through.
• Stuff tortilla with black beans, corn, tomato, and shredded cheese. Heat in the toaster oven or microwave until the cheese is melted.
• Slice avocado and mash with a fork. Measure 2 Tbsp. of the mashed avocado.
• Serve burrito with salsa and mashed avocado for dipping.

Have you tried Rudi’s gluten-free tortillas? What do you like to make with them? What’s your favorite gluten-free burrito recipe?

**This post is not sponsored by Rudi’s Gluten Free Bakery. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links.  Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**“

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