chickpeas

Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Balela Salad

Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you: a healthy Middle Eastern dish!

I’ve been addicted to Trader Joe’s Balela Salad (Middle Eastern chickpea & black bean salad) for a while now. Balela is savory and tangy with a gratifying bite. Plus, thanks to the amazing plant-based protein and fiber, it’s quite filling. I’m pretty sure you guys are going to be hooked like I am!

It’s amazing on it’s own, but if you are following the Rabbit Food Pyramid, you can add some lettuce and tuck it into a whole wheat pita pocket, or serve over a bed of lettuce and quinoa!

Love my new bunny bowl that Brett gave me for Christmas! It’s so photogenic : )

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Balela-Salad-2

Balela Salad
Serves 1
1/2 cup chickpeas, cooked (I use Eden Organic – No Salt Added Chickpeas)
1/4 cup black beans, cooked (I use 365 Organic No Salt Added Black Beans)
1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp cup chopped red onion
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
Pinch of cayenne
Salt & Pepper to taste

Rinse and strain cooked chickpeas and black beans. Chop, tomato, garlic, red onion, parsley, and mint. Combine together with the chickpeas, beans, lemon juice, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Add cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Note: This dish is best after the chickpeas have marinated for several hours of overnight.
Balela-Salad-1
Make your meal RFFMBT Pyramid approved:
Serve over a bed of lettuce and quinoa
or
Add lettuce and tuck it all into a whole grain pita pocket!

The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: tomato, garlic, red onion, parsley, mint (1 cup of lettuce if desired)
Whole Grain: None (1/2 cup of cooked quinoa – or 1/2 whole wheat pita pocket if desired)
Protein: chickpeas & black beans
Plant Based Fat: olive oil
Free Extras: lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, cayenne, salt & pepper

… I love rabbit food!

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Desserts, Recipes, Treats, Vegan, Vegetarian

Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies

Remember that delicious bowl of healthy cookie dough dip that I posted yesterday? What if I told you that you could turn that fun vegan dip into actual ooey gooey chocolate chip cookies with the addition of some fairy dust (a.k.a. baking powder and baking soda)? Well, I’m about to make your wildest dreams come true. Get your ovens ready little bunnies. It’s cookie time.

Speaking of cookie time, whenever I hear that phrase I instantly think of the movie “Troop Beverly Hills!” OMG such a good movie. Definitely watching it this weekend with a Chocolate Chip Chickpea cookie… or two! Have you ever seen “Troop Beverly Hills?” Such a classic!

As usual, these cookies are healthy, but give regular fatty refined sugar cookies a run for their money! Here is yet another flour-less vegan recipe that doesn’t contain any oil, refined sugar, or butter for all of you healthy bunnies that want a little something to indulge in.

It’s cookie time, it’s cookie time, it’s cookie timeeeee!


Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies
Makes 24 cookies

1 15oz can of chickpeas
1 + 1/4 cup pitted medjool dates
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chocolate chips (of your choice, you could use carob chips for a vegan option)
3 Tbs almond butter
2 Tbsp rolled oats
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove pits from the dates and place in a bowl or jar with 1/2 cup of water. Cover the bowl or jar and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (or overnight). Strain and rinse the chickpeas. After dates have soaked, combine the chickpeas, dates (including their soaking liquid), almond butter, oats, vanilla, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a food processor, excluding the chocolate chips. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed. Remove dough from the for processor and gently mix in the chocolate chips. Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, or line with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 1 inch balls and place on the cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cookies are firm in the center. Remove from oven and let cool.

Note: If you were hesitant about the Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip, this is a great recipe to test it out. The dough does have a different type of flavor than your average cookie dough, but the baked cookies taste like “regular” chocolate chip cookies, without a doubt. Make a batch of cookies and sample some dough to see if it’s dip worthy for your taste! If not, turn it into cookies. Simple!

Recipe adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie. 

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Desserts, Recipes, Snacks, Treats, Vegan, Vegetarian

Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip

I am always looking for the healthiest alternatives to my favorite foods. One of my favorite things to do with friends is bake. You know… typical girls! Most of my “girls baking nights” used to consist of Funfetti cake mix, a package of break and bake cookie dough, and more “sampling” than actually baking. I love doughs and batters, in fact I cannot get enough! When my sister and I used to make cookies and cakes with my mom, we would both argue over who got to lick the bowl and who got to lick the spoon. So glad we never ended up with salmonella! Yikes!

I have come to the conclusion that I love vegan baking because it’s challenging and fun, but really because you can eat all the batter you want without getting sick from raw eggs! On top of using only plant based products for baking (with the addition of natural salt), I try not to use any refined sugar, making my treats pretty much guilt-free.

While eating hummus the other day, something struck me. Why not use chickpeas as a base for a sweet treat? My friend and I made cupcakes from chickpeas before, so I thought it was worth a try to master another dessert. Not only is this a fun appetizer or dip for a party, but these fabulous little legumes are a great source of fiber and protein to keep you full and satisfied.

Now let’s talking about some dipping action!
Apple slices, whole-grain pretzels, graham crackers, toast, the possibilities are endless!
Question: What would you use to dip into your bowl of Chickpea Cookie Dough?

My recipe is an adapted version from Chocolate Covered Katie’s Cookie Dough Dip. To make the dip as healthy as it could possibly be, I made a few adjustments to the original recipe:

omit baking soda
only 3 Tbsp almond butter
2 Tbsp rolled oats
no extra milk

Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip
Makes about 2.5 cups of dough
keep servings to 2Tbsp per person/snack

1 15oz can of chickpeas
1 + 1/4 cup pitted medjool dates
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chocolate chips (of your choice, you could use carob chips for a vegan option)
3 Tbs almond butter
2 Tbsp rolled oats
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda

Remove pits from the dates and place in a bowl or jar with 1/2 cup of water. Cover the bowl or jar and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (or overnight). Strain and rinse the chickpeas. After dates have soaked, combine the chickpeas, dates (including their soaking liquid), almond butter, oats, vanilla, and salt in a food processor, excluding the chocolate chips. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed. Remove dough from the for processor and gently mix in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate and serve cold.

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Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Quinoa Salad Stuffed Avocados

I hope that everyone had a fabulous weekend. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen working on some fun new recipes and I cannot wait for all of my little bunnies to try them!

On the menu today is a flavorful quinoa salad packed with protein, served in an avocado “bowl”! The healthy fats and fiber from this fresh vegan dish will keep you full and focused for hours.


Quinoa Salad Stuffed Avocados
Serves 2

1 Avocado
1/4 cup dry quinoa
1/2 cup chickpeas
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup chop cilantro
1/4 cup chop spinach
1 Tbsp Water
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp agave
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Cook the quinoa to package instructions and set aside. Finely chop the cilantro and spinach, and combine with mustard, lemon juice, agave, cumin, and garlic. Add one tablespoon of water to the dressing until it is all well combined. Cut the cherry tomatoes into halves. Add tomatoes and chickpeas to the quinoa. Pour dressing over the quinoa mixture until it is evenly coated. Cut the avocado in half and remove pit. Top with even parts of quinoa salad.


The Rabbit Food Pyramid Breakdown
Produce: tomatos, cilantro, spinach
Whole Grain: quinoa
Protein: chickpeas
Plant Based Fat: avocado

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Dinner, Lunch, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Chickpea Patties

I hope that everyone is having a great Memorial Weekend. Thank you to all of the men and women who have served and are serving in the United States Armed Forces!

If you are starting up the BBQ in observance of the holiday today, I have another alternative protein burger recipe for you! Chickpea Patties provide plant-based protein, which makes this recipe a great option for vegans and vegetarians. Use Chickpea Patties in any recipe that calls for chicken or turkey.


For a low carb option, try serving your Chickpea Patties on Portabella Buns!
Simply remove the gills and stem from 2 large portabella mushroom caps and grill over medium heat.

Dress your burger with your favorite toppings such as fresh lettuce, tomato, onion and avocado.
Use the Portabella Buns as you would with a regular hamburger bun!


Chickpea Patties
Serves 4

2 cups chickpeas
1/4 cup grated carrot
1/2 yellow onion
1/4 cup finely ground flaxseed
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric

Thoroughly rinse and strain the chickpeas. Chop the yellow onion, and grate the carrots. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until well mixed. Transfer the contents to a food processor and pulse until it reaches a smooth yet firm consistency. Add water 1 Tbsp at a time to help reach your desired consistency.

Note: The mixture should be moist and smooth but still firm. It should not be crumbly.

After the mixture has reached the proper consistency, divide it into 4 patties. Place a pan over medium/high heat and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Place patties in the pan and cover and grill for about 4 minutes on each side, spray the pan with cooking spray in between flips to prevent sticking. Continue cooking and flipping until they become firm and slightly browned but not dry.


Note: If storing the Chickpea Patties in the freezer; follow all instructions and precook patties before freezing. Let the patties cool. Place wax or parchment paper in-between each patty to prevent from sticking together. Store the patties in a ziplock bag, and freeze. Reheat each patty in the microwave before eating!

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