Meals and snacks that are cheap as chickpeas
Particular foods are becoming increasingly expensive. Meanwhile, other groceries are comparatively affordable. I pressure cooked my chickpeas on the weekend in preparation for a variety of treats. They are just some of the nutritious ingredients I meal-prep on a regular basis. Here are some meal and snack ideas that are perfect for chickpeas.
Foods to make with chickpeas
Seasoned roasted chickpeas
This is a homemade version of the snacks you might have seen in the health aisle of the supermarket. Lightly coat the chickpeas in a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and seasoning of choice. I usually choose a taco-style flavouring. Then roast or air-fry them until chewy or crispy.
Chickpea lentil salad
I don’t make salads very often but everyone should know how to make them. A high-protein plant-based salad can be nourishing and high in fibre.
Chickpea spinach curry
Make your own curry sauce with canned tomato, coconut milk, curry powder, onion, garlic, ginger and chilli. Add lots of spinach with the chickpeas. This dish can be made in an abundant batch. Freeze portions for later. Serve it with rice.
Chickpea curry. Image: Unsplash.
Plain and flavoured hummus
Make your own hummus for a more fresh treat, greater quantity and to avoid artificial additives. You can also blend other veggies into the dip. Try creating fresh beetroot hummus or roasted capsicum hummus. It’s ideal when feeding party guests or just snacking during the week.
Falafel
Make your own falafel with cooked chickpeas with herbs, onion, garlic and seasoning. I would be more likely to use canned chickpeas for this homemade food so it won’t be too watery. But if you boil chickpeas thoroughly without letting them become soft and mushy, it might be alright.
Make falafel to enjoy as a light bite or in a meal. Image: Unsplash, edited.
Chickpea crepes
Have you ever made a crepe from chickpea flour? I am keen to try it soon. I bet the mixture would go perfectly with my frozen spinach and garlic powder. You can make your own chickpea flour by simply blending dry chickpeas on a high speed until finely ground into a powder.
Chickpeas really are cheap.
One of the cheapest deals would be the Pattu Kabuli Chick Peas, 2 kg for $5.50 on Amazon. If you are ordering from Doorstep Organics and want a small portion of organic dry chickpeas, there is a bag from Absolute Organic at $10.95 for 400 grams. You could also use canned chickpeas as a quick option for meals that need them to be already cooked. Look for a BPA-free can that has no added salt.
Quick tip for boiling chickpeas
Here’s a brief outline of the steps to boil dry chickpeas. Rinse the legumes a lot, soak them overnight or a bit longer, rinse again and then boil until soft. It sound time consuming, but most of the minutes and hours are just a waiting game - letting them soak and cook. You can do something else at the same time. Give it a try!
Soak and cook dry chickpeas to get plenty of this affordable nutritious ingredient. This photo is from Melanie Suzanne Wilson.
