Fresh Garbanzo Beans

At the market this week, I noticed fresh garbanzo beans. At first I walked right past them and then reconsidered and bought a bag. The beans are tucked away in a green pod and reminded me of peas and edamame. Most of the pods house one bean but there were many with two. The first thing I notice as I am shelling is the color of the chickpea--it is green and not beige like its dried cousin. It is a time-consuming job to shell these beans, but I find it quite meditative. I found some recipes that called for keeping the beans in the pod and eating them like edamame, but being the obsessive compulsive type I painstakingly took each bean out of its pod. They have a grassy taste--try eating one raw.

For supper tonight, I have chosen to make a fresh spring salad from my loot of beans. After shelling the beans, I boil them in salted water, although they can also be steamed, until they are tender. With the leftover brown rice that I have from yesterday's lunch I will combine the garbanzo beans with the rice for a heartier salad.

The fresh garbanzo beans that are found in our markets are grown in Mexico. They are a great source of energy and provide iron,protein and fiber in our diet.

Fresh Garbanzo Bean Salad


2 cups fresh garbanzo beans
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1/2 orange pepper, diced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Juice from one large lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the fresh chickpeas in salted boiling water for 15 minutes until tender. Drain and cool.

Make the salad dressing by combining the lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper with the olive oil. Add the onion, orange pepper, parsley, and beans. Combine. Let sit so that the flavors can meld together. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary.

A refreshing salad.

Happy, healthy eating!

A Date for Saturday Night

At cooking school last weekend we made desserts. Lots and lots of desserts. There were brownies and cookies, a tarte tartin, orange gingerbread with lemon sauce, a chocolate red velvet cake, vegan baklava, a pear charlotte, crepes, an antico dolce torte and a chocolate hazelnut torte. What is so amazing about these goodies is that they are not made with refined white sugar. All the desserts were made using brown rice syrup as a sweetener.

The vegan desserts that are normally sold in the marketplace are made with white sugar and white flour. It's true that they don't have eggs, butter, or milk, but the white sugar, vegan butter, and white flour still do not entitle them to carry a healthy label.

The desserts we made last weekend were made from organic whole grain pastry flour, avocado or olive oil, or Earth Balance. Almond milk was the liquid of choice.

The pastry I chose to make today is a classic date bar. I have taken a traditional date bar recipe and inserted healthier ingredients. Instead of white flour, I use whole wheat pastry flour. Instead of butter, I use avocado oil. Brown rice syrup and date sugar replace the brown sugar.

Dates come from the date palm which originated in North Africa. They have been eaten for centuries in the Middle East, along the Nile, because of their high nutritional value. Dates are easily digestible, high in natural fiber and are good for the intestines. They contain numerous nutrients, including calcium, sulfur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and manganese. Dates are high in natural sugar so added sugar is rarely necessary when using them in a dessert. Dates give us a quick "pick me up" when our energy is low. They are also considered to have a laxative effect and are good for sluggish bowels.

Although dates have more calories than most other fruits, they make a great snack because they are filling (so you eat less of them) and they can be substituted for processed sweet treats. Although dates are great by themselves, they are also good when added to a salad or a fruit compote. Try sprinkling them on rice or couscous.

Date Nut Bars
1 1/2 cups chopped pitted dates
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup oats
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
1/2 cup date sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup avocado/olive oil mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 8x8 metal baking pan.
Bring the water, dates, and walnuts to a boil. Lower to simmer and cook until soft and thick about 10 minutes. Cool and add vanilla.

Meanwhile, combine flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, date sugar, and brown rice syrup. Add the oil and combine all ingredients. Press 3/4 of this mixture into the bottom of the oiled pan. Top with the date/walnut mixture. Sprinkle remaining flour/oat mixture on top. Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Cool and enjoy.

Vegan Burgers Part 1: Rockin' Black Eyed Peas

Burgers were on my mind last weekend as the spring-like weather made a sudden appearance on the east coast. There are lots of choices when it comes to making vegan burgers so I decided to experiment with a couple--one made with beans and the other made with grains. My bean of choice was the soft, creamy black eyed pea. Black-eyed peas, also known as crowder peas or cowpeas,are low in fat and high in protein. One cup of these cooked peas contains 11 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein,less than one gram of fat and a measly 160 calories. They contain phytochemicals such as lignans which have been said to help in the prevention of osteoporosis and heart disease. They also have the added benefit of having soluble fiber which lowers the bad cholesterol in our blood levels. This bean is also blessed with substantial insoluble fiber which helps the digestive tract and aids to fight constipation--a double whammy! They are a good source of iron,calcium, folate,and vitamin A.

I used to complain about the gaseous effects of eating beans. But I learned from my macrobiotic practice that adding a postage size piece of kombu into the cooking liquid helps to deal with that problem. Before cooking the dried peas, soak them for at least four hours, and then simmer them on the stove until tender. It usually takes about an hour. 1 cup of dried peas will yield 21/2 cups of cooked peas. Of course, you can always use canned peas.

Black eyed peas were originally from West Africa and part of Asia. They were brought to the Southern part of the United States during the slave trade and as a result are popular in southern recipes.

Black Eyed Pea Burger

2 cans organic black eyed peas
1 large shallot,chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-5 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped
2 TBS olive oil
1 cup toasted walnuts
1 pepper in adobe sauce
1 TBS adobe sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup flour
whole grain buns
Additional oil for frying the burger

In a food processor mix the black eyed peas, shallot, garlic, cilantro and pepper in adobe sauce until smooth. Add the toasted walnuts, salt, pepper, and oil. Process until everything is mixed together.
Form this mixture into patties. Dust lightly with flour and fry over medium heat in oil. The patties will form a crispy, yummy, coating. They tend to fall apart so turn them over gently. Expect a spicy bite from these burgers.

Happy healthy eating.