I love the chickpea!
It is the vegans bestfriend…protein-wise!

Easy Hummus & Falafel Recipe

Rich in Plant-Based Protein

According to Healthline.com:

*** Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein, making them an appropriate food choice for those who do not eat animal products.A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving provides about 3 grams of protein, which is comparable to the protein content in similar foods like black beans and lentils (1).

The protein in chickpeas may help promote fullness and keep your appetite under control. Protein is also known for its role in weight control, bone health and maintaining muscle strength (6Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source).

Some studies have suggested that the quality of the protein in chickpeas is better than that of other types of legumes. That’s because chickpeas contain almost all the essential amino acids, except for methionine (10Trusted Source).

For this reason, they are not a complete source of protein. To make sure you get all the amino acids in your diet, it’s important to pair chickpeas with another protein source, such as whole grains, to make up for the deficit (6Trusted Source).

I can eat Hummus every day. What you can add to it to change it’s flavor is limitless. What you can eat it with or add it to is also without end. It is a staple in my diet, especially when it comes to sourcing my proteins.

The recipe, again a term I use loosely, is a two-fer recipe. The base I start with that results in a Hummus, then gets portioned off and the remaining gets worked into a falafel batter. That way when I soak the beans, which I prefer over canned garbanzo beans when making a hummus and/or falafel, I can soak an entire bag of dried beans at once.

Although, I prefer the dried beans for these recipes, I do use the canned beans of all varieties in my cooking otherwise. And of course, all the beans are organic!

Homemade Hummus

1 bag-(16oz.) of Dried Organic Garbanzo Beans /Chickpeas cooked – (cover beans with water, bring to boil, cook for 15 minutes)
1/8-1/4 cup Organic Tahini Paste
3-5 Tbsp. Organic Lemon Juice
1/2- 1 cup of water (to desired thickness of hummus)
Spices: Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Coriander, Cayenne, Chipotle Chili, Cilantro (to taste)
Other Options: Roasted Peppers, Roasted Garlic, Fresh Cilantro, Fresh Dill, and anything else you’d like to add basically!
Soak beans overnight. Rinse, drain.
Place about 2/3rds of the soaked beans to blender; add 1/2 cup water, lemon juice, tahini paste, seasonings and blend until smooth. Add more water if unable to blend due to thickness of bean mix and continue adding water until desired texture is reached. Add more flavor with additional spices, more lemon, etc.
Remove portion of hummus to serve and leave approximately1/3 of mixture behind to start batter for falafel mix.

Falafel Mix

Remaining Chickpeas
1/4 cup Organic Olive Oil
1/4 cup of Water
1/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs (optional if gluten free)
1/4 cup of Garbanzo Bean Flour
2 Tbsp. of Bob’s Redmill Paleo Flour Mix
(Delicious by the way for paleo pancakes! I use it for many, many recipes…it’s a must have in my pantry!)
Spices: Salt, Pepper, Cumin, Coriander, Cilantro- (to taste)

Add remaining chickpeas to blender with approximately 1/4 cup of water, blend. Mixture will be thick, you’re just looking to break down the whole beans and blend a little with the hummus mixture.
Place ingredients from blender into a mixing bowl.
Add all dry ingredients and mix together.
Let stand in fridge for about an hour.
Remove and make into patties or round balls. These can be fried or baked. I have done both. If baking, Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minute or until golden brown. If frying, fry until golden brown. There are no raw ingredients so you are just looking for the inside to be cooked through and more dried than in the wet mixture form.

These can be eaten in a salad, in a sandwich, wrapped in a naan or stuffed in a pita…choice is yours! I made mine with a kale and romaine lettuce mix, dried cranberries, tomatoes, red onion slivers and homemade tahini dressing and completed with a dollop of my homemade hummus!

Homemade Tahini Dressing

Super Simple
1 Serving
2 Tbsp Tahini Paste
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1-2 Tbsp. Water
Spices: Salt, Pepper, Cayenne Pepper
Mix until smooth. It will go through stages while mixing…it takes a minute for all properties to mesh! Add less water and lemon if you want thicker dressing.