Monday Nutrition Tip of the Week: The Mighty Chickpea

I never thought I would be such a fan of the chickpea. Also referred to as a garbanzo bean, chickpeas are a legume that are high in protein and among the "earliest cultivated vegetables; 7,500-year-old remains have been found in the Middle East." (I know that because Wikipedia told me, so it must be true.)

One hundred grams of boiled chickpeas contains 164 calories, 2.6 grams of fat (of which only 0.27 grams is saturated), 7.6 grams of dietary fiber and 8.9 grams of protein.

Not only do I have hummus more days of the week than not, I've also become a super fan of veggie burgers that contain chickpeas, salads with chickpeas, and on Friday night I fixed Missy Cotello's Chickpea filets.

Photo courtesy of Karma Chow

They were so good! Missy's recipe also includes directions for making Lemon Dill Aioli Dipping Sauce, but instead I made a simple lemon/dill/greek yogurt sauce that was a great addition to the dish, and also made it look like chicken fried steak with white gravy. Hah!

If you're feeling adventurous in a vegetarian sort of way, these are for you. They're crispy and flavorful, and the leftovers were great, too. 

Also, check out www.KarmaChow.com for more great recipes. I signed up for Missy's newsletter, which always includes great recipes like this one!

Chickpea Filets with Lemon Dill Aioli

2 cans chickpeas, drained & rinsed or 3 cups cooked
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 TBL Olive oil or coconut oil plus more for pan-frying
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 scallions, white part only, thinly sliced
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. marjoram
½ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. basil
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. mustard powder
½ cup GF breadcrumbs
1 tbs braggs aminos or soy sauce
¼ tsp. lemon zest, optional

Heat 1 TBL oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion, scallions & garlic until translucent and soft. Add thyme, marjoram, oregano & basil. Stir to release flavor of herbs. Sauté for a few more minutes and then transfer into a large bowl.

In a food processor cup, combine chickpeas & rice. Process until combined well. Transfer to the bowl with sautéed onions, garlic & scallions. Add remaining spices, braggs, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, breadcrumbs and lemon zest if using. Using your hands, mix well to combine all ingredients into “dough.” Form mixture into “filets” or patties.  You can either bake these in the oven at 400 degrees until brown, about 20 minutes, flipping half way through or brown on a non-stick skillet with olive oil. If baking, spray with olive oil first.

Lemon Dill Aioli Dipping Sauce
1 tbs freshly chopped Dill
1/4 c. Vegenaise Grapeseed or Soy Free
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Whisk or stir all ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve as a dipping sauce for the filets!

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Workout of the Day

P90X One on One, Vol. 3: Core Synergistics MC:2