How to Have Fun With Chickpeas

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By lydiabily
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Colored noodles with chickpea eyes

Almost everyone is familiar with chickpeas from salad bars, falafel and hummus, and curried chickpeas. But those are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to enjoying chickpeas. Have you ever tried a Thanksgiving chickpea loaf, a glass of fermented chickpea spirits or garbanzo cheese? How about a chickpea face mask? Here are some terrific ways to eat and use chickpeas.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Try different varieties of chickpeas. There are two main varieties of chickpeas, the larger, lighter colored beans more common in western and middle eastern cooking, and the smaller brown beans common in Indian cooking (gram). There are also red, black, and green chickpeas.
Step 2

Try new chickpea recipes. Try eating chickpea loaf or chickpea cutlets at Thanksgiving dinner. For quick sandwich options, keep chickpea burgers and chickpea salad in the fridge. Try chickpea gravy instead of mushroom gravy. Serve garbanzo beans with pistachio pate at your next dinner party. Add garbanzo cheese to your list of comfort foods, and try it both sliced and as a creamy sauce. Serve spicy roasted chickpeas as a snack or eat the young beans right out of the pods like edamame. Have a bowl of chickpea miso soup or use it to make a delicious miso mustard sauce. Brew up some roasted chickpea coffee substitute or have a glass of fermented chickpea spirit after your meal. See the Resources section for links to these recipes and more.
Step 3

Try using chickpea flour, which is increasing in popularity for gluten-free baking. Use it as a thickener for sauces and gravies, and try using it for dumplings, noodles, bread and biscuits. It is sometimes used for dessert baking as well, but its flavor, though subtle, lends itself better to savory baked goods.
Step 4

Make a chickpea facial scrub. Ground chickpeas make a gentle, safe and nourishing facial exfoliant that is ideal for dry skin. See the link in the Resources section for “How to Make a Chickpea and Turmeric Facial Scrub.” Chickpea flour is also used as the base for medicinal body treatments in Ayurveda.
Step 5

Try crafts with chickpeas. Chickpeas have a uniform size and are great for eyes. You can use chickpeas of every color as multicolor beads.