Each week, I will contribute an article to my food column: College Cooking, where I will share recipes and opinions on food trends and culture. To see more of what I like to cook and bake, check out my personal food Instagram at @healthy_eclair.
I have been in a real chickpea kick. Hummus has always been a go-to snack, lunch component, or addition to a grain bowl. But chickpeas by themselves are a wonderful source of protein, not to mention a delicious legume.
That being said, here are three recipes that incorporate chickpeas, and I really entreat you to try them as the ingredients can be found in the dining halls and will make you feel like a chef in your dorm room. If you are looking for even more ideas, check out this blog post by Jessica in the Kitchen which lists out 15 ways to use a can of chickpeas.
- Add it
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In a previous post, I gave a recipe for chickpea quinoa greek salad. Although you could follow this recipe, chickpeas can be added to a chef’s salad with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, cheese, and turkey. You could also add it to a grain bowl with tomatoes, quinoa, a boiled egg, and ½ an avocado if you have one. Adding a few shakes of Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning to this last one will bring it to a whole new level.
- Mash it
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I LITERALLY cannot stop making this chickpea salad sandwich by Minimalist Baker. Whether with seeded bread, a gluten free bun, or crackers, this vegan chicken salad alternative is a MUST for college food dining. All you need is a container of chickpeas from the dining hall, 1 pack of mayo, 1 pack of mustard, chopped red onions (taken from a garden salad), and salt and pepper packets to taste. You can also add sunflower or pumpkin seeds if you have them, but this is optional. Mash all of the ingredients together with a fork and enjoy!
- ‘Cook’ it
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And by “cook,” I mean COOKie. I don’t typically eat cookie dough, but after making chickpea blondies a few summers ago, (edible) chickpea cookie dough sounds very appealing. Disclaimer: you will need a blender for this recipe, although a fork and a lot of arm strength may do. This recipe is adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie. Combine 1 container of chickpeas, a pinch of salt, 1 packet of honey, ⅛ cup of nut butter, ⅛ cup of vanilla almond milk (or less depending on consistency), 1 tbsp of rolled oats, and a handful of chocolate chips if you have them. Blend this in a blender and dig in.
Don’t get me wrong, hummus is my favorite dip. But chickpea salad…that’s something else.