Hello! We hope everyone will
come down to our next Pathfinder Produce market at the Village Commons, this
Thursday, November 16, from 1 to 5 p.m. We have the freshest produce and
the friendliest staff … a winning combination! We hope to see you there!
This week, our Director of
Education at Pathfinder School offers an interesting way to use chickpeas as a
smart substitution for tempting desserts.
****
Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are best known as
the main ingredient in hummus. Part of the legume family, chickpeas are a great
source of protein and actually reside in the “protein” category according to
the government’s My Plate
nutrition guidelines—making them a great meat alternative for vegetarians
and vegans! Did you know they can even be used to make a sweet, savory, and
guilt-free dessert?
When blended with a
few other key ingredients, chickpeas can be transformed into safe-to-consume,
raw, egg-free cookie dough! Easy to make, they are the perfect snack for when
you’re craving something sweet but don’t want to get a head start on November’s
and December’s Holiday
Weight Gain. There are lots of recipes out there, but below is one shared
by one of our Pathfinder School student’s family.
1 can of chickpeas
(rinsed, well-drained)
½ cup tahini (or you can
substitute with ½ cup of your favorite nut butter!)
2 Tablespoons honey
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Optional—mini chocolate
chips to taste!
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until
smooth. Roll them into balls, or use a small ice cream scooper or melon baller,
and place them on a tray. Refrigerate for about an hour before serving.
(Although many of us
survived eating raw cookie dough or licking the beaters when our moms or
grandmas were making cakes, this practice is nowadays highly discouraged by the
CDC due to
pathogens that may be ingested with raw ingredients. We encourage
everyone to learn about and follow safe-food handling practices!).
Enjoy this tempting treat (and don’t feel too
guilty)!
Maura (and Lori) and special thanks to Mrs. Simmons for sharing her
recipe!
