When I first started writing recipe articles for Berks County, I remember running in to a friend at the farmer’s market who said “what do vegetarians eat besides chickpeas?” Thinking perhaps that must be what most carnivores think of vegetarians, I have tried hard to provide a wide variety of recipes that specifically do not include chickpeas, but over the years I’ve come to realize that chickpeas really are a great staple in everything from hummus to salad.
According to Eastern medicine, when your body is not in balance, you can experience chronic fatigue, physical and mental stagnation, have weak digestion and even a dull sense of taste. The relationship between what you eat and how you feel is evident in so many ways. This simple sandwich represents a way to help nourish your body with food that are beneficial to your health instead of those which are processed and refined. Incorporating chickpeas is a good way to maintain that balance, even when preparing something quick and simple.
There are many varieties of chickpeas, including red, white, black and brown, but I prefer the original
sweet flavor of the white ones. Also called Garbanzo beans, these little beans contain more iron than other legumes and are also a good source of unsaturated fat. This recipe is a good one for busy families to prepare, especially during the busy fall sports season, and with a minimum of seasonings, it can be quite versatile as well as sustaining.
I’m not a huge fan of raw onion, but I ordered a salad recently while I was out to eat and it came with pickled red onions. They were so delicious that I decided this was definitely just the right ingredient to spruce up my favorite vegetarian sandwich.
Ingredients
1 large red onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
pinch of paprika
boil the vinegar until the sugar dissolved, stirring occasionally, then add the onions. Allow to cool, then transfer to a glass jar and store in the fridge.
1 can of chickpeas rinsed and drained
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. sea salt
Sprinkle the seasonings over a tray of chickpeas and bake on a sheet pan at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Chickpea Wrap
paprika roasted chickpeas
pita
lettuce
tomato
pickled red onion
cucumber dressing
Cucumber dressing (this is from a previous article)
1 seedless cucumber, skin peeled off and chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives or dill
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp. plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. horseradish
1 tbsp. honey