Chickpeas 4 Ways: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Pulse Recipes

1 batch of chickpeas in 4 recipes

Disclosure:This post was sponsored by USA Pulses and Pulse Canada. Visit the website to learn more about how eating pulses can benefit your health.

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Raise your hand if you like efficiency. I'm going to assume each of you has a hand (probably both hands) raised. Time is a valuable resource so having ingredients that are really versatile makes me really happy. That's where pulses come in. You've met pulses tons of times on the blog (like this sweet and sour chickpea bowl, and this winter lemon herb 3 bean salad)  but if you need a refresher a pulse is a protein-packed, sustainable food source that includes dry peas, chickpeas, lentils and beans. 

Think about all the ways you've encountered pulses in your cooking and eating life. From hummus to bean burritos, stews to black bean brownies, pulses can do it all. They're the perfect pantry staple. And whether you're working from canned or dry (by the way, here's how to cook chickpeas from their dry form), you'll always have something healthy on hand. Pulses are very filling (they have 4x more fiber than brown rice) and iron rich (one serving of black beans contains 1.5 times as much iron as one 3 oz. serving of flank steak). If you're not cooking with pulses yet, aren't you convinced now?

Or maybe you do need a bit more convincing. Which is fine because we've got four more reasons to start keeping pulses on hand. We whipped up four recipes to make from chickpeas including an option for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Right off the bat I need to tell you, when you make the BBQ sandwiches, I'm definitely coming over. So make a double batch.

Chickpea Granola Tahini Yogurt Bowl

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

BBQ Chickpea Sandwiches

Mediterranean Chickpea Grain Bowl

Be sure to check out the video too!

Chickpea Granola Tahini Yogurt Bowl

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups roasted chickpeas (2 cups cooked chickpeas, 1 T maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger, 1/4 teaspoon cardamom for roasting)

• 1/2 cup walnut halves

• ¼ cup sesame seeds

• 1 1/4 cup rolled oats

• 1/4 C coconut oil

• 1/4 c maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3/4 teaspoon ground sea salt

• 1/4 cup cacao nibs

• for serving: yogurt, tahini, blackberries, edible flowers

DIRECTIONS:

For the roasted chickpeas:

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Rinse cooked chickpeas. Use a paper towel to pat dry. Let the chickpeas air dry for an additional 15 minutes. Toss chickpeas with spices and maple syrup. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Toss and return to oven for at least another 10 minutes. Chickpeas are done when golden and crunchy. 

To make granola:

Preheat oven to 330 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine oats, walnuts, sesame seeds with coconut oil and maple syrup. Stir to combine. Add sea salt and vanilla and stir again. Spread evenly on prepared baking sheet and press down. After 15 minutes, add cacao nibs and chickpeas. Stir to combine and return to oven for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Toss and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container or glass jar with a lid for up to two weeks.

To make the bowl:

Add yogurt of choice to a bowl. Stir in a 1/2 tablespoon of tahini and top with granola, blackberries and edible flowers. 

Roasted Red Pepper Chickpea Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 large white onion, diced

• 2 Tablespoon tomato paste

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

• 4 medium carrots, washed, peeled and chopped

• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

• 12 oz roasted red peppers (not in oil)

• 2½ teaspoons ground cumin

• 1½ teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/16 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas

Optional garnishes:

• sprinkle of fresh thyme

• Feta, crumbled

• heavy cream

• red pepper flakes

Directions:

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot and add onion. Stir around for 2-3 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Add garlic and salt and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the carrots and stir. Cook for 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and spices, cook for 2 minutes. Add stock and roasted red pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes or until the carrots are soft. Add 1 1/2 cups chickpeas. Use an immersion blender, puree the soup until it is smooth. Top with garnishes like parmesan, basil and olive oil and serve.

For the roasted chickpeas:

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Rinse 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas. Use a paper towel to pat dry. Let the chickpeas air dry for an additional 15 minutes. Toss chickpeas with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Toss and return to oven for at least another 10 minutes. Chickpeas are done when golden and crunchy. 

BBQ Chickpea Sandwich

4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic

• 15.5 oz can of tomato sauce

• 3 Tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 c raspberry jam

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 2 Tablespoons molasses

• 1 T Worcestershire sauce

• 2 cups chick peas (cooked)

• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch

Serve with coleslaw (below), pickles, hot sauce and potato roll buns

coleslaw:

*Note: Could be made with an aquafaba mayo instead of vinegar mix

• ½ head red cabbage, very thinly sliced

• ½ head green cabbage, very thinly sliced

• ¼ cup cider vinegar

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 1/2 T sugar

• salt/pepper

Directions: 

In a medium saucepan add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and garlic. Cook over medium low until garlic is fragrant. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, and additional seasonings to pan. Whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer. In a separate large, shallow pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Pat cooked chickpeas dry and toss in cornstarch until covered. Add chickpeas to heated oil in pan. Do not crowd. Stir occasionally until chickpeas are lightly brown. Add sauce to pan with chickpeas and stir to coat. When sauce and chickpeas are thoroughly heated, turn off heat and build sandwiches. To make coleslaw, toss ingredients together in a bowl and place in fridge. 

Mediterranean Chickpea Grain Bowl 

Serves 1

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa (cooked in chicken or vegetable broth)

• 1/4 cup microgreens of choice

• 1 avocado rose (1/2 avocado)

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons feta cheese

• 2 kalamata olives, sliced

• several cherry tomatoes

• 1/3 cup zucchini noodles

• 1/2 cup chickpeas in dijon vinaigrette

• 1 large egg, over easy

• 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, torn

Directions:

Toss chickpeas in vinaigrette. Cook egg over easy (or poached if preferred). To build grain bowl, add ingredients in sections overtop of quinoa. Sprinkle herbs on top.