Confused about garbanzo beans

swerdygnome

Hello All,

I'm slightly confused about garbanzo beans (chickpeas). I know that they are incredibly healthy and full of protein, but I'm not so sure about the calorie content. The can lists 100 calories per serving, with 3.5 servings per can, however only 20 of those calories per serving are from fat. Should a can of chickpeas be counted by the full calories or the fat calories? If it's the full calories, I'd be hesitant to make a chickpea salad again for lunch despite how much I love them. Your thoughts?

Michellerw1

I am a little confused at what you mean by counting them by their fat calories. Calories are calories. So you should count it as is per serving. Although they are higher in calories they are nutrionally valuable and very filling. They are also a great replacement for meat.

I like to mix about a half cup with some tuna, a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, and basil, and eat over greens.

One word of advice is to rinse them thoroughly from the can as they contain alot of sodium. Or you can cook from dried.

Hope this helps!

swerdygnome

That is helpful, thank you. I like to eat them with chopped tomato, cucumber, onion, and some balsamic vinaigrette. So good.

Michellerw1

ALSO! Had some last night in pasta with tomatos, red pepper, mushrooms, spinach, and a bit of parm cheese. Really delicious.

Smyles2u

Mmmm...this all sounds really good.
As for cooking the dried beans.. Do u do them just like pintos? soak, cook for an hour or hour and a half?
Thanx!!

Michellerw1

Yup, exactly the same way. They are so much cheaper to buy dried! You can quick soak them too (boil for 5 minutes, soak for an hour, boil).

questionablemethods

Yup, exactly the same way. They are so much cheaper to buy dried! You can quick soak them too (boil for 5 minutes, soak for an hour, boil).

Yup. Also beans freeze well! So, as time-consuming as it might seem to soak and boil them, you can make a whole HEAP at one time, portion out into freezer bags once they've cooled and pop them in the freezer. Thaw and drain (if necessary) and use just as you would canned and just as quick but about a billion times cheaper and NO added sodium.

Michellerw1

Thanks for the tip. I hadnt thought about freezing them as I was afraid they might turn out mushy once thawed.

sngnyrslp

I like to mix about a half cup with some tuna, a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, and basil, and eat over greens.

That sounds DELICIOUS! I wish I could make that right now!

questionablemethods

Thanks for the tip. I hadnt thought about freezing them as I was afraid they might turn out mushy once thawed.

Well, I have mostly been freezing black beans, which I later turn into a kind of refried bean dish, so getting mushy is not a problem there. Same thing with chickpeas that I use for hummus. But the chickpeas do seem to hold up pretty well and keep their shape if you wanted to keep them whole.