Chickpea recipes you will enjoy

Czechs are not champions of chickpea consumption, and nutrition experts agree that this is a shame. It is among the most digestible legumes and is beneficial for children, pregnant women and people with diabetes. It contains a lot of vegetable protein and fiber and has beneficial effects on the entire digestive system. It will promote regular bowel movements, stimulate metabolism and even help reduce the level of “bad” cholesterol.

The most common reason we avoid eating legumes is their flatulence. However, it can be removed very effectively with proper preparation.

Rinse the dried chickpeas in a colander and cover with enough cold water. The chickpeas will swell up a lot, so don’t skimp on the water. Leave to soak for at least 12-14 hours, then drain, cover with fresh water, bring to a boil and skim off the foam. Cook very gently on low heat, in a normal pot it can take two to three hours, depending on the age of the legume. Preparation in pressure cooker it’s similar: bring the chickpeas to a boil, collect the foam, close the pot, press and cook slowly for about an hour. Well-cooked chickpeas are perfectly soft, creamy and the skin separates easily. You can further reduce the effects of swelling by adding it to the pot herbs and spices against flatulence, such as bay leaf, cumin or marjoram. A small piece of dried seaweed has similar effects.

But it will help more if you regularly include legumes in your diet: the digestive system will get used to them and bloating problems will be a thing of the past.

It pays to cook a lot of chickpeas at once – you can make some into your favorite chickpea hummus and leave some in a box in the fridge. You can then continuously add it to soups, salads, rice or some curry variation.

Creamy and delicious chickpea hummus has gained huge popularity in recent years and today you can buy it in excellent quality on almost every corner. But homemade is more worth it: the preparation is relatively simple and it is much cheaper. Also, you can spice it up and adjust it according to your taste.

Traditionally, in the Middle East, hummus is served as a side dish to chickpea “meatballs”, i.e. falafel. The fragrant balls have a pleasant crunch, are full of nutrients and you can buy the ingredients for a penny. The preparation is a bit more complicated, but once you taste them, you’ll keep making them.

A handful of chickpeas will add punch to soups proteins and a lot of fiber, and with a slice of bread, they pass it off as a full-fledged main course. By the way: the body can use the combination of legumes and cereals very well, and these two food components should be on the plate as often as possible.

I think Hanka Zemanová did a great job promoting chickpeas: when a recipe for chickpeas with paprika appeared in her book Bioabecedář in 2010, it became an instant hit. He’s wonderful, so it doesn’t hurt to remind him. And along with it other main dish recipes in which chickpeas play an important role.

When losing weight, a balanced intake of protein and fiber is important so that the body does not suffer from malnutrition and avoid the yo-yo effect. You’re right, a handful of chickpeas can help.

Chickpea flour you can already buy it quite often in retail chains and I think it’s worth a try. It has a mild nutty taste, thickens well and is naturally gluten free. Like whole chickpeas, they are high in high-quality plant protein, iron, vitamins and fiber, and potatoes made with them are second to none.

Home-cooked chickpeas are cheaper and more environmentally friendly than canned chickpeas, but sometimes there’s no time for heroism and sterilized chickpeas come in handy. It’s swimming in a pickle called aquafaba, and while it looks a little suspicious, it’s worth a little attention. It works like an egg white – whip it lightly and use it to make a great vegan alternative to mayonnaise, it’s also suitable as snow for vegan cream rolls, you can also make vegan meringues..