Chickpeas go on the list of foods that I always have a supply of in my pantry. Not only are they delicious, but what I really love about eating chickpeas is how they make me feel full and satisfied for a long period of time. They are well packed with fiber, protein, and have a low glycemic index. These three factors are important in regulating blood sugar. I like to eat chickpeas at lunch to help reduce my afternoon sugar cravings (which coincidentally like to appear around 3:00). Chickpeas are abundant in anti-oxidants, and also pack more magnesium than any legume (up to 85% of your daily value in just 1 cup). Magnesium acts as both an anti-inflammatory, stress reducer, muscle relaxer, and of course aids in bone health. A magnesium deficiency is often linked to cramping, stiff joints, inflammation, difficulty with digestion, the list goes on. I consume several cups of chickpeas per week by adding them to salads or using them as my main source of protein in place of meat. I am hoping this recipe gives you a creative way to include chickpeas as part of your regular diet!
This recipe makes for an easy nutritious lunch or dinner side dish. It’s simple to make, and easily portable if you are on the go. Besides the chickpeas, we have a lovely cast of nutritious characters: cucumbers, bell peppers, snap peas, carrots, sesame seeds, green onions and fresh ginger. YUM!!
The fresh raw vegetables give the salad a nice crisp texture. I started by draining the juice in 1 can of chickpeas. I then chopped up the fresh veggies and tossed it all together.
I finally added the dressing. By the way, the freshly grated ginger is an absolute must in this dressing. I like to use my garlic press to mince the ginger, and get all the juice. No need for a food processor or blender, just whip it up!
- 1 14oz can Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas)
- 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped carrots
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion
- 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
- 12-15 Snap peas
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- For the Dressing:
- 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas and place in a medium sized bowl.
- Toss the chopped vegetables with the chickpeas.
- To make the dressing, whisk together the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Pour dressing on top of the salad, mix around to coat the vegetables and beans.
- Top with remaining sesame seeds
Amazing 🙂
I used to be lacto ovo vegetarian and ate chickpeas fairly regularly. But my red blood cell count was a bit low, so my doctor convinced me to eat meat. For ethical reasons I prefer not to eat mammals but have eated chicken and fish. For some reason, in my recent medical exams, my cholesterol and glucose have been edging up, not serious but a bit over border line, so I thought of chickpeas and just bought some. However, I am looking to reduce carbs as much as possible, so came to this site to see about complementary protein sources are for chickpeas, specifically, sesame seeds. I am thinking I could make a dish using chickpeas and ground sesame seeds as a complement in a salad. This article gives some good ideas for those who want to control weight, cholesterol and carbs/triglycerides. Glad I read it.