I am so pleased to announce my "In the Kitchen" Series! The response and demand for healthy living has been so encouraging, I couldn't deny sharing some of our practices. Rather than spending a lot of time going through our weekly meal list and snacks, I'll be sharing recipes (or my best effort at a recipe) each week. These will range from snacks to bread, meals to cleaners. My hope is to post one a week. Be advised that I am not a great cook. I don't follow recipes. Most of my "concoctions" are by trial and error and never turn out the same. :-) However, I'll do my best to share the base of how we eat.
This week I am sharing about Baked Garbanzo Beans (or chickpeas, your call).
Garbanzo beans are packed with fiber...the good kind. They don't digest until they get to your larger intestine, which is a key factor in stabilizing acid levels and overall colon health. They also are one of the only vegetables that don't lose their nutritional value when eaten from a can. Saves time.
For big families on a budget, I suggest buying them in bulk, in dry containers, soaking and sprouting them and then following the below recipe (plus that adds all types of healthy enzymes!). Read more about what they have to offer here.
First, send a cute little helper out to your wall of rosemary to cut a few sprigs:
If you don't have a cute little helper or a wall of rosemary, that's fine. Fresh herbs are best, but you can always do dried as well.
I make two batches of different recipes because I like to mix flavors. I'll give you both, but I'll start with the Spicy Rosemary recipe:
Preheat oven to 350.
2 cans of organic garbanzo beans, rinsed thoroughly and dried thoroughly.
2 teaspoons of olive oil or coconut oil
2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons of maple syrup, coconut palm sugar, or plain brown sugar (we use coco palm)
1/4 tsp
1 teaspoon of sea salt (we use Real Salt, because of its mineral content)
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (more if you would like it spicier)
Mix them all together in a bowl. Make sure the herbs are evenly mixed.
Lay them out on a cookie sheet.
Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Get them nice and crunchy, almost burned.
These turn out to be really good as a salad topper, like a crouton. You can use all types of seasonings for them, they turn out a bit like corn nuts (remember those?) and can take on all different types of flavors.
Now for the Maple Cinnamon recipe:
While the first batch is cooking, do the same with another two cans of beans (or your sprouted ones).
2 tsp coconut oil.
2 tsp coconut palm sugar (or other sweeteners above).
2 tsp cinnamon.
1/4 tsp of sea salt.
Bake for 40 minutes.
These are very delicious and amazing on top of yogurt, mixed in granola, or just as a sweet snack.
Or you can combine both recipes and serve with an aged cheese and fruit.
Experiment with different flavors (we have yet to try bbq, but that's next!) and get a serious dose of fiber while doing so.
Enjoy!