Simple Recipes | The Magic of the Chickpea.

Aaaah the chickpea - though you be but small, you still be mighty.

If like me you have spent far too many years unaware of how marvellous these peas are then I'm here to show you the way, with 3 super quick, simple, cheap and healthy....ish recipes.

Important side note: when draining the chickpeas make sure to hold onto and store the water... just trust me on this one, you'll need it later.

If you have done any research into vegan alternatives you may have come across the idea of using chickpeas to replace tuna in sandwiches or salads - Yes you heard that correctly. I was extremely sceptical of this at first and didn't think it would taste nice at all, let alone remind me of tuna.

I was wrong! I bit the bullet and tried it. You're welcome.... I mean that many vegans couldn't be wrong!

 1. Chickpea Tuna: 

 1. Drain and mash a tin of chickpeas with a fork.

2. Add some vegan mayo or salad cream (Tesco “free from” mayonnaise is fab!).

3. Add any extra garnishes you want!

I tend to stay simple and add a pinch of pepper, spring onions and sweetcorn if I have some in the cupboard - It does need a little something something to make sure it's not too bland.

Honestly this is an amazing alternative that actually works and tastes great (It was even confirmed by my omnivore sister who thought it was delicious too!!). Perfect if you're low on time or need a lunch to pack and take on the go - Plus no actual fish so you won't stink out the whole office!

This next one is a really fab and easy snack - it's a tad better for you than the crisps and biscuits that are arguably tasty, but not the healthiest choice.

2. Crispy Chickpeas:

1.Preheat oven to 170oC

2. Drain your chickpeas and place on baking tray.

3. Add some spices (I used curry powder, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, thyme and cumin).

4. Bake for an hour or until golden brown and crispy.

Voila!! Jobs a good'un.

And now something sweet to finish!
Desserts for vegans are always a bit of a pain considering we don't eat eggs, butter or milk. All of which are rather important constituents to most puds!

But don't fear there are always options. Oh by the way this is the point you'll want that chickpea water I told you to hang onto.

3. Chocolate Mousse:

1. Melt 50g of dark chocolate.

2. Use an electric hand whisk to whisk the chickpea water until soft peaks form.

3. Once the chocolate has cooled gently fold it into the fluffed chickpea water.

4. Freeze for 20 minutes to speed up cooling.

5. Keep chilled in fridge.

And again that's all there is to it! Simple right?

So there's no reason to have boring food or think being vegan requires a lot of time and effort. Once you know the tricks it's easy as pie.... vegan pie of course!

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