Did you know that chickpeas have been used since 6790 BC? Wow, that’s a long time, but not surprising as this is such a good wholesome food! It has great health benefits like boasting low G.I, which means that your body absorbs and digests them slowly helping control blood sugars. They are also full of soluble fibre, this is known to reduce cholesterol absorption. Soluble fibre also aids digestion and helps promote good gut bacteria. Chickpeas are also a good source of calcium and magnesium, giving you stronger bones. All in all it is a very wholesome food and a great source of nutrition for a plant based diet!
This amazing legume has a delicious buttery and nutty flavour and is used in so many Punjabi recipes. Most people are familiar with hummus, which is a savoury chickpea snack made with olive oil and tahini. However, in Punjab (India) there are so many sweet dishes that are made from chickpea flour (known as gram flour). It is such a versatile flour, as it is gluten free and a great source of plant protein, and so it’s a great choice for vegan snacks. Hiya bars are a chickpea based snack bar unlike any other bars which are made from dates and oats as the base ingredients. Why not give our chickpea snack bars a try?
Lastly, did you know that you could use the water from a tin of chickpeas (also known as aquafaba) as an egg alternative in meringues? Check out our recipes for Eton Mess to find out more.