Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Garbanzo beans! (Chickpeas)

I really don't remember the first time I bought garbanzo beans, but I do know that they are my family's favorite bean. They are so versatile and have a mild flavor that seems to go with anything.

Way that we use them are in soups, on salads, and roasted. Yes, roasted. The kids eat them as a snack and they are crunchy like nuts and are healthy too.
I buy them from our Coop in bulk dried and I rehydrate them as needed. It really is so simple.

To rehydrate them, I put 2-3 cups in a stock pot and fill it 3/4 of the way with water. Put a lid on it and let it sit over night (8-12 hours). This gets them sprouting, which breaks down chemicals that would otherwise not be that great for us. After the soak, drain and rinse. Then, fill the pot back up and cook until tender.

For crunchy beans, I found a recipe online. Dry the beans off with paper towels on a sheet pan. If some skins come off, discard the skins. Toss them in a couple TBSP of olive oil and sprinkle with fine sea salt. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes, stir around, then bake until golden, approximately 20 more minutes. I really like cooking them my convection oven, so the times may vary a little.

I hope, if you have never tried garbanzo beans, that you would give them at least a try. I have never had the ones in a can, so I can't speak for what comes out of those.

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