Chickpeas used to be well exciting didn't they? Some super exotic food that Mum didn't cook with and that showed up only when you went to terrible exciting restaurants.
Then the great hummus revolution of the Nineties came about and all of a sudden, you couldn't move for chickpeas. Now, they sit in cans at the back of your cupboards next to tinned tomatoes and baked beans and other stuff that will always be there.
That doesn't mean they have to be boring though, here's a few super easy but super delicious things to do with them. Whether you're vegetarian, vegan or otherwise.
1. Garlic, Herb and Parmesan Roasted Chickpeas
Time: 30 mins
A healthy-ish alternative to crisps. The 'healthy' part depends entirely on how much oil and parmesan you drown them in. Get the full recipe here from My Fussy Eater.
2. Moroccan Carrot And Chickpea Salad Recipe
Time: 25 mins
One of those dishes that looks dead complicated but is essentially the equivalent of chucking a bunch of stuff in a bowl and seeing what happens. Get the full recipe here from PopSugar.
3. Vegan Sweet & Sour Chickpeas, Pepper and Broccoli Curry
Time: 30 mins
The healthy and vegan version of that wildly delicious meal they serve at your local Chinese Takeaway which always leaves you twitching with a sugar overload. Get the full recipe here at Vegan Richa.
4. Chickpea & Broccoli Buddha Bowl
Time: 40 minutes
Buddha bowls are a delicious and perfect mix of all the necessary food groups and are big news as of late. This chickpea version is a nice twist on the all-too-similar-to-each-other recipes that often pop up. Get the full recipe here from Hummusapien.
5. Three Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Mousse
Time: 20 mins
A good use of that water that comes with the chickpeas in the can. Get the full recipe here from Lazy Cat Kitchen.
6. Lemon Avocado Chickpea Mash
Time: 6 mins
If you're bored of smashed avocados (and let's face it, who isn't) here's a way to make it a bit more exciting. Get the full recipe here from The Conscientious Eater.
7. High Energy Chickpea Protein Balls
Save your cash you were going to spend on one of those wildly expensive Bounce balls and make a batch of these instead. Get the full recipe here from Happy Healthy Mama.
Like this? You might also be intersted in:
The Definitive Ranking Of All The Gluten Free Stuff In The Supermarket
Follow Jess on Twitter @Jess_Commons
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.