Trip Report: Using a gallon of chickpeas (w/ pics)

[octopi]

In an effort to get protein factoring heavily into my diet again, and a renewed interest in Middle Eastern foods, I have been buying more and more cans of chickpeas, or garbanzos. Sure, they smell like cat food when you open them and are really bland in color and taste, but mix them up with the right tools and ingredients, and it's magic.

Recently on a trip to my favorite low cost supermarket, I was saddened to see that all the 'small' cans of chickpeas were sold out. I walked dejectedly away, dreaming of the hummus and salads I could have made, when I saw it; the can of beans that could potentially get me through a week of the next "Code Red" terrorist alert.

$3.24 later, I realized what a stupid thing I had done. I was now stuck with enough chickpeas to drown a small child in. It's not like they can be stored for very long after opening either, I don't think. So what to do? Most of the salads I make have to be eaten within two days, and who the hell can eat upwards of a gallon of hummus? Look at the size of this can:



Some quick research showed that hummus is easily frozen, thanks be to Allah. Instead of making my delicious 'normal' hummus, I made some different varieties. These gourmet versions sell in my farmer's market for around $6 for one cup, but I knew I could do better in flavour and cost.

I made two cups each of three different kinds of hummus, plus two cups of my regular hummus. I worked off of recipes, but also threw in some other ingredients and altered them a bit.

Spinach and Feta hummus
Roasted Red Pepper hummus
Artichoke hummus

In addition, I made regular hummus, mixed a cup or so of the beans into tabouli, and made a balsamic vinagarette for a veggie chickpea salad. I also throw them in veggie chili, and sometimes in with tuna for a PROTEIN EXPLOSION!

I'll be sure to log a trip report from the can after all that fibre goes into action. [img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]

(estimated) Cost of ingredients:
chickpeas $3.24
oil $5-25 bottle
artichokes $1.99
veggies $5
herbs free (from garden)
feta cheese $3 (only used half though)
lemons $2
tahini $4-8
spices (cumin, pepper, salt, chili) $5
My hummus, therefore, came in at a much lower cost than the deli stuff, and tastes far better, too.

Some of the veggies I used:



The only unfortunate thing to making hummus is that you do need a food processor, and have to find tahini (usually in the ethnic section of your store. it's a sesame paste) Also key: delicious flatbreads, pita or chips of any variety. Vegetables work well too, and you can spread this stuff in sandwiches.



From upper left: tabouli, artichoke, feta-spinach and red pepper.


The roasted red pepper hummus turned out kind of sweet, and a lot oilier than I thought. I would definitely kick it up in spice next time. The artichoke was a bit bland, so I threw in some cilantro. Spinach and feta was my favorite, very tangy and iron rich with the addition of a crapload of spinach. The tabouli, I'd cut back a bit on the bulgar wheat (which came from my store's bulk section, do not get cracked wheat instead, just bulgar) to keep the veggie content high. I like mint, so I added a lot of that. It's very fresh and light, easy to eat on hot days of summer. I stored the hummus in small ziploc like containers (please excuse Riker shot. I was...uh..inbetween channels. You can see him eyeing that huge can of beans, though.



All in all, it wasn't a waste at all, and even with the roasting of the peppers and midway cleanups, it only took me around 40 minutes to make all that hummus, and could probably get away with it once a month.

Does anyone else have decent hummus recipe variations they can post? Or any hilarious ideas on what to do with the can, now? (maybe something similar to what the Food Jammers would do?)

[AlphaWice]

[ QUOTE ]
Look at the size of this can:




[/ QUOTE ]

Yea... im looking.

Edit: By the way, you are really beautiful.

ps. the file name is "makingout.jpg", lol

[Frinkenstein]

LOL, that was awesome.

Any thread in which you post pictures of yourself is awesome. Yum yum!

Keep up the good work.

[billygrippo]

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Any thread in which you post pictures of #1 is awesome.



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[JimHammer]

Better get some of this too.

[tuq]

pi,

I was happy to discover that the huge can does not make your breasts look smaller! Thanks for sharing. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Boris]

I read somewhere that dudes should eat lots of chickpeas because they help prevent prostate cancer. I love hummus.

[Dominic]

I want to try the artichoke hummus now. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] Tahini is awesome. I love that stuff.

God, I miss Zankou Chicken in L.A.!

[traz]

[ QUOTE ]
[Yea... im looking.

Edit: By the way, you are really beautiful.

ps. the file name is "makingout.jpg", lol

[/ QUOTE ]

You tried to save the file to your desktop didn't you, you creepy creepy person.

[guids]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Look at the size of this can:




[/ QUOTE ]

Yea... im looking.

Edit: By the way, you are really beautiful.

ps. the file name is "makingout.jpg", lol

[/ QUOTE ]


You gots skillz alpha.