



Over the years I've met a number of folks who tell me how they really (and I mean

) dislike beans. Really? Beans? Out of all the foods to dislike, I find that one a bit strange. I guess you could call me a bit of a bean keener, but I think they are things of dreams. Versatile, nutritious, inexpensive, easy, and totally tasty (in my opinion), they are a super food in the truest sense of the word. Let's take the humble, yet exciting, chickpea for example. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans if you're my mother, have been part of the human diet since Neolithic times (pretty cool, eh?). In the Bronze age they were brought to Italy and Greece where they became a staple to their diets. And well, the rest is history. Nowadays, they are a wide reaching legume, finding their way into traditional dishes of Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas.

The health benefits of these little guys is also wide reaching. One cup of garbanzo beans has 12.5 grams of fibre (which is 1/2 the recommend amount) and best of all, most of it is soluble which means that it can easily be dissolved in the body and will keep you full longer, maintain your blood sugar levels, and lower the LDL 'bad' cholesterol. This lowering of bad cholesterol means that chickpeas are also great for your heart and make a wonderful addition to any heart smart meal planning.

Like all other legumes, they are a rich source of protein, which is used by your body to make amino acids. But since it is an incomplete protein, your body is unable to make all the amino acids it needs from the chickpeas. Because of this, you need to ensure that you consume them with whole grains, nuts, and other protein sources (which I know you already do). For this recipe I paired chickpeas with a creamy vegan 'mayonais' made with the complete protein packed sunflower seeds. Fresh veggies like sprouts and grated carrot add a nice crispness to the creamy dressing, and a dollop of chutney provides the sauce to keep it all together.

Need Some Chickpea Ideas? I think we can help!