Easy and Healthy Chickpea Puree

Chickpea is an Asiatic legume that derives its queer name from a phonetic adaptation of the original Latin Cicer and the French pois chiche. It does not have anything to do with young chickens at all! Chickpeas grow one or two to the pod and make a valuable source of calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, phosphorous, and protein. In dry form, chickpeas must be soaked in water overnight and then simmered for 3 hours, or until tender, before serving.

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Many dishes call for these cheap and nutritious legume, but the most popular of them all is probably the hummus or the chickpea puree. Here is a simple recipe for a version of the Middle Eastern hummus which you can use as zestful dip for bread or crackers (though you may end up eating it by the spoonful):

EASY CHICKPEA PUREE (HUMMUS)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chickpeas, soaked and cooked
• 1/2 cup pure olive oil or sesame seed oil
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup roasted sesame tahini

Preparation:  Into a blender, put all ingredients except the chickpeas. Blend well. Slowly add the cooked chickpeas and blend until it becomes a smooth paste. If too thick, add a little water. If you have no blender, mash the chickpeas thoroughly and mix in the other ingredients until they arrive at a pasty consistency. Garnish with fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. Serve cold with flatbread or crackers.

More recipes from The Tahini Table: Go Beyond Hummus with 100 Recipes for Every Meal and in Between

Keep Your Lungs Healthy with Beta Carotene Boost

Beta carotene is one of many brightly colored compounds called carotenoids that make foods yellow and orange in color. Eating foods rich in beta carotene can help prevent oxidative damage that contributes to lung problems like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.  Research studies conclude that people with the most beta carotene in their blood preserved more of their lung function over eight years. What’s more awesome, these people do not have to worry about immediate lung decline.

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To boost your beta carotene intake, consider adding these foods into your diet: spinach, kale, collards, pumpkin, butternut squash, sweet potato, apricot, mango, orange, carrot, tomato, cantaloupe, red pepper, papaya, watermelon.

To easily incorporate these super sources of beta carotene into your meals, try adding them into your favorite dishes. Grating raw carrots, for example, helps release beta carotene for easier absorption. You can prep the healthiest salad piled high with carrots, leafy greens, and other high-carotenoid foods. Use canola oil, balsamic vinegar, or olive oil to add fat to your beta carotene boosting meals.

Get more super salad recipes HERE.

Boosting your beta carotene isn’t as hard as you think. You won’t even have to bother eating foods you dislike as many of your favorites are already packed with it.

© Connie Luayon