Chic Peas

Also known as Garbanzo beans, this legume is one of the first cultivated legumes! Chic peas don’t just come as the creamy colour we most commonly can buy, but also come in different sizes and colours ranging from red, white, black and brown.

They are extremely high in fibre, a good source of unsaturated fats and protein.

They are very high in iron, potassium, phosphorus and good levels of magnesium. They contain many of the B vitamins along with some Vitamin A.

They can be beneficial to the pancreas, stomach and heart – which is interesting when they are usually heart shaped.
Very good at helping us to feel full, good for constipation and general colon health and can help to control blood sugar levels.

The most common way that chic peas are used is grounding them up and adding other flavours to create hummus. They can also be cooked and added to salads, soups, casseroles. Basically any dish you want as they are mild in flavor. If you are using the dried variety – soak them overnight first in water with a dash of vinegar or lemon juice to help better digestion before cooking.

They are great as a snack instead of nuts and good to give to kids who can’t take nuts to school – Check out this recipe for home-made chic nuts http://www.balancingnutrition.com/?p=1047