Foodhack: Chickpea Pasta Swap

Chickpeas


Earlier this week I shared one of my favorite comfort food swaps, (click here if you missed it), which got me thinking about other healthy swaps I’ve learned over the years. Taking a wee stroll down memory lane to the early 2000s, when carbs were vilified and actresses everywhere were told not to eat after 6 pm, I recall a dear friend of mine sharing her favorite quick-fix for pasta cravings. Her (duly brilliant) suggestion? Chickpeas.

Chickpeas (aka Garbanzo beans) are a great source of protein and calcium, as well as being high in iron. They are higher in fats than most other beans, with 12% of their calories coming from fat, which works to one’s advantage when looking for a healthy-meets-decadent taste. This recipe calls for canned chickpeas, making it a ten to fifteen minute meal.

Spicy Chickpea “Pasta”

    • Boil roughly 3 cups water in a pot; add a sprinkle of sea salt to the water.
    • Chop 1-3 garlic cloves
    • Chop a chili pepper of your choosing- I’ve had great results with jalapeno, serrano, and for the very brave, ghost peppers.

o   Important! Use gloves when working with hot peppers, or a paper towel to prevent contact with your skin. Wash your hands afterwards- the horror stories associated with accidentally rubbing one’s eyes or other body parts are very real (if often very funny).

    • Slice some cherry or grape tomatoes.
    • When the water is boiling, add your canned chickpeas.
    • Let boil for 5-10 minutes, depending on how soft you prefer them to be.
    • In a separate pan, heat your olive oil.
    • Add your garlic, tomatoes and peppers to the olive oil, sauté on medium.
    • Strain your chickpeas, then add them to the pan and sauté together with the garlic and chilis for a few minutes.
    • Remove from heat, season with salt & pepper, and serve.

This particular recipe is for the spice-inclined, but it works well with a variety of sauces and flavor preferences. Feel free to experiment, and please let me know what you whip up!

Our Wild Oats bloggers are partners who love to share their passion and knowledge about better living! While we compensate them for being a part of this vibrant community, their views and opinions are their own and do not signify Wild Oats' opinions, endorsement or recommendations. Wild Oats reserves the right to moderate and remove comments that are off-topic or inappropriate, so please help us keep this community clean, fun and valuable!

3 Responses to Foodhack: Chickpea Pasta Swap

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Signup

Follow Us Online

Latest Posts

Our Bloggers