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Recipe Connection: Meatless Chickpea Wraps

March 26th, 2010 · 37 Comments · Recipes

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When I decided that I was interested in finding a good meatless burger recipe, I found one based with chickpeas (garbanzo beans), and another based on lentils.  The lentil burger was pretty bland; you might be able to enjoy it with enough condiments, and the chickpea burger was just too mushy to be on a bun an inch thick.  Sorry, I can’t think of any better description than “mushy”!

But I fixed it.

Using nearly the same recipe for the chickpea burgers from The Veggie Table, I fried them up very thin and put them in tortillas.  Talk to me, deli quality!chickpea wraps (2)With a tangy dose of mustard and mayo or ranch dressing, the crunch of lettuce and some melted cheese, maybe some red onion for a truly delightful zip, you almost forget you’re sacrificing meat when you eat these nourishing, frugal wraps.

Find this recipe, updated and with even more frugal tips and transformation options, along with 29 other bean recipes and a ton of information on cooking dry beans, the health benefits of beans, and ideas for bean haters in The Everything Beans Book, available now at Kitchen Stewardship!
Recipe: Chickpea Wraps

Ingredients:

2 Tbs olive oil ($0.25)
1½ c onions, minced ($1.00)
3 cloves garlic, minced ($0.10)
1 t ground cumin
1 c carrot, finely chopped or shredded ($0.75)
1¾ c cooked and drained chickpeas (about 1 can) ($0.65)
1½ Tbs tahini or peanut butter
¼ c parsley, minced
1/3 c white flour
½ t baking soda
1 t salt

Method:

If you have a food processor, make it work for you.  Process the onions just enough to get them chopped, then sauté them in oil for about five minutes.  Meanwhile, shred carrots to fill one cup in your food processor and mince the garlic.  Garlic’s health benefits are best five minutes after mincing, so try chopping them first, then the carrots.  Add the carrots and cumin to the onions for a minute, then the garlic for one last minute, stirring frequently.

Process the cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) into a paste, add the sauteed vegetables and process briefly.  Stir in peanut butter/tahini and parsley.  (If using fresh parsley, process it before the chickpeas.)

No food processor?  You can use a hand blender or even a potato masher to smash the chickpeas and simply stir in the remaining ingredients.  Be sure to finely chop the onions and shred or very finely chop the carrots if you don’t have a tool to blend them into the mixture.  I love my Pampered Chef hand chopped for jobs like that!

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in the small bowl, then stir into chickpeas.

Fry small, thin patties in oil over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes, until just beginning to brown. Turn over and fry the other side until browned, crispy is optimal.

Not sure what kind of fat/oil to use for sauteeing or frying?  See this comprehensive list of fats and oils and how to use them.

Total cost: about $3, plus <$1 for tortillas = 75 cents per person

Healthy Upgrades: You could easily sneak a few more veggies in, like gently steamed spinach or fresh red peppers.  Once you’re putting dinner into a food processor anyway, it’s a great time to hide some nutrient-packed extras!

chickpea wraps (1) See how nice and thin they are?  Don’t worry about beautiful shapes for presentation since they’ll be all wrapped up anyway.  A well-seasoned cast iron pan gives super results.

added bonus KSAdded bonus: The recipe makes a lot more than you’d expect for one little can of beans, and it actually freezes great!  Freeze some along with extra homemade tortillas, then thaw the filling and fry up for a super simple meal later.

We like to serve with homemade chicken rice-a-roni or cheesy rice and tomatoes, steamed vegetables and a salad.  To complete the Mediterranean undertones in the meal, try homemade Greek dressing.

timesaverTimesaver: If you use your food processor to shred cheese and then freeze it, before this recipe is a great time to double up and save on dishes.

Never cooked dry beans before?  Check out this easy dry bean tutorial and start saving money now!

I’m pleased to participate in a meatless meals carnival at My Daily Round.

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Kitchen Stewardship is dedicated to balancing God’s gifts of time, health, earth and money.  If you feel called to such a mission, read more at Mission, Method, and Mary and Martha Moments.

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