Chickpeas and Avocado. Yum!

I tried this light, easy meal for dinner last night (after mentioning it in this post), and 2/3 of us gave it a thumbs up. My son warmed to it a little at the end too. He tries to pretend he doesn't like avocado, but I think it's partly a show!

I've found two versions of this recipe, one from www.twopeasandtheirpod.com and the one below that I received from the Meatless Monday website, but it came from Jordan's Family of Foodies blog. I really like the taste of smoked paprika in this one.

Chickpeas & Avocado Salad Sandwich

Ingredients

• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 avocado
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 2-4 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Kosher salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• Baby spinach leaves
• 8 slices toasted bread
• Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Drain and rinse garbanzo beans.
2. Add garbanzo beans to hot sauté pan with ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, tossing to coat beans with spice.
3. Roast beans in pan for 10-15 minutes stirring often, until beans are dry and lightly browned.
4. Prepare avocado. Cut in half, remove pit and with small pairing knife and cut ½ of avocado into thin slices while still in skin.
5. Using spoon remove avocado flesh carefully from first avocado half reserving 4 of the slices to top sandwich.
6. Place all the rest of avocado flesh from both halves on large plate and completely mash with fork.
7. Add 2-3 tbsp of lime juice (this is a loose direction add less or more as needed) to mashed avocado and mix to combine thoroughly.
8. Season with salt and remaining ½ teaspoon smoked paprika.
9. Add diced red onion and chopped cilantro to avocado and stir to combine.
10. Place roasted garbanzo beans over top avocado mixture.
11. Using fork mash some of beans into avocado mixture until mixture is desired texture.
12. Add additional 1 tbsp lime juice depending of how dry the mixture is.
13. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
14. Place ¼ of salad on each slice of bread, followed by desired amount of baby spinach, and avocado slice.
15. Schmear Dijon mustard on top piece of bread and place overtop sandwich.

Action Item: If you're trying to add protein while cutting out meat, look for recipes like this one with chickpeas. Like this Hummus Salad recipe.

For Further Reading: From One Green Planet, Why Chickpeas are a Healthy Eaters Best Friend and The Many Health Benefits of Avocado from Mercola.com.

Big Salad

We tried another recipe for you! This one looked really good, so I wasn't concerned with a "flop."

The Big Salad article (actually five salad recipes) is also from a recent Runner's World issue. Here's the one I made last night:

Quick Hummus Salad
Easy to assemble and rich in vital nutrients for runners, this deconstructed hummus is perfect for weekday lunches. Chickpeas, the main ingredient in hummus, provide protein, carbs, and plenty of insoluble fiber. "The fiber in chickpeas can improve the health of your GI tract," Katz says. Walnuts (and other nuts) provide crunch and protect against heart disease. Harvard researchers found that people who eat nuts regularly are 29 percent less likely to develop the disease. Nut-eaters are slimmer, too. A synergy of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals is likely behind nuts' potent health benefits.

In a bowl, toss 2 (14-ounce) cans drained and rinsed chickpeas, 2 shredded carrots, 1 diced red bell pepper, 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes, 1 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 cup diced red onion, 3/4 cup diced feta, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, and 1/2 cup golden raisins. Divide 8 cups mixed salad greens among 4 plates. Top with chickpea mixture and tahini dressing. Serves 4.

Tahini Dressing:
                                                             

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons tahini

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 minced garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

Calories per serving: 618
Carbs: 53 g
Fiber: 15 g
Protein: 18 g
Fat: 39 g

Note: The nutrition data for each salad is calculated with dressing.

The salad and dressing were very tasty, very filling and had a great texture with all the different ingredients. The recipe makes a lot; so we have leftovers which is a good thing with a meal that we enjoyed.

Check out all of the Big Salad recipes at RunnersWorld.com.


Action Item: Try this protein-packed salad for dinner or make it for the next pot-luck you attend.

For Further Reading: Check out other Runners World recipes; great ideas for foods and meals to fuel your body!

And here's a good article from One Green Planet, Why Chickpeas are a Healthy Eaters Best Friend.

Crunchy, (lightly) Salted Snacks

Sometimes I want a salty crunchy snack that's not crackers, which is usually my go-to. Here are some options that we really enjoy:

Simple Roasted Chickpeas - this is a recipe from allrecipes.com (be sure to read the reviews for helpful hints)

Bhuja Crunchy Seasoned Peas - first received these from my Mom, and now we order them online. Whole Foods and Sprouts stores carry this brand, but not the peas. (Our son adores these. He woke up one morning asking for freshly squeezed orange juice and peas for breakfast!)

Both of these snacks taste great while providing you with enough protein and fiber to satisfy your hunger and fuel your body. Here's another recipe for chickpeas that I ran across in eat well Lose Weight magazine but haven't tried yet:

Barbecue Spice Roasted Chickpeas
Prep: 5 minutes   Roast: 30 minutes
Oven: 450 degrees F

2 15-oz cans no-salt added garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon barbecue spice
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon celery salt
¼ teaspoon onion powder

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a medium bowl combine garbanzo beans, oil, barbecue spice, paprika, chili powder, garlic salt, celery salt, and onion powder. Spread in an even layer in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Roast about 30 minutes or until browned and crisp, stirring once halfway through roasting. Cool completely. Makes 12 servings (¼ cup each).
Nutritional info per serving: 101 calories, 5g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0mg cholesterol, 122 mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 3 g fiber, 4g protein.

You can substitute with different spices in order to use less salt, use a different oil, or substitute peas for chickpeas; these recipes can be a good starting point to find just the right recipe that works for you and fits your dietary needs. Or, better yet, search online for more. Your likely to find the right fit! Crunchy peas and chickpeas can also be a great addition to your salads.


Action Item: Rethink your crunchy, (lightly) salted snacks! Can you make better choices?*

For further reading: Benefits of Chickpeas and The Protein in Chickpeas


* The recommendation for sodium intake is less than 2,300 mg/day for adults. This equals about one teaspoon of table salt. Most people consume far too much sodium through processed foods and table salt, therefore, this recommendation is set at an upper limit. Special populations including those diagnosed with high blood pressure or at risk for high blood pressure should limit sodium consumption to 1,500 mg/day. The minimum requirement of sodium for normal body function is about 500 mg/day.