250th Post : CWF - LB : Chickpeas - Event Announcement

This is my 250th post and on this occasion I'm happy to announce CWF - LB : Chickpeas for the months August through October. Although, I've done two events earlier, this is the very first time I'm guest hosting an event. When Kiran asked me about hosting this event, I had no second thoughts. I immediately said "Yes". Kiran is such a lovely blogger who always blog healthy dishes. Thank you so much Kiran for giving me this wonderful opportunity.

How can we define a whole food?

Wiki defines the whole food as follows :

Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible before being consumed. Whole foods typically do not contain added ingredients, such as sugar, salt, or fat.Examples of whole foods include unpolished grains; fruits and vegetables; and non-homogenized milk.

The term is often confused with organic food, but whole foods are not necessarily organic, nor are organic foods necessarily whole. Because of the lack of basic processing, some whole foods have a very short shelf life.

The United States Food and Drug Administration defines whole grains as cereal grains containing the bran, endosperm and germ of the original grain. Federal Dietary Guidelines issued by the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion in 2005 recommended the consumption of at least three servings of whole grains each day, as there is evidence that they help cut risk of cancer and heart disease.

There are several ways to meet the body's needs with respect to whole foods. One way is to consume a variety of fresh raw fruits and vegetables every day.

"Diets rich in whole and unrefined foods, like whole grains, dark green and yellow/orange-fleshed vegetables and fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds, contain high concentrations of antioxidant phenolics, fibers and numerous other phytochemicals that may be protective against chronic diseases.

What are Legumes?

Legumes are a class of vegetables which includes beans, peas and lentils. Legumes are typically low in fat and contain no cholesterol. Legumes are a good source of protein and can be a healthy substitute for meat, which contains fat and cholesterol. Examples of legumes would be: adzuki beans, black beans, calico beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), edamame beans (soya beans),kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, mung beans and split peas.

(Source : www.bestveganguide.com)

Why we chose Chickpeas for "Cooking with Whole Food - Legumes & Beans (CWF - LB)" event?

Chickpeas are less costly legume which is easy to find. They are available as dried and canned products. Chickpea is a versatile bean which can be used in salads, soups, hummus, curries etc..They have many health benefits as well.

About Chickpea :

The chickpea is a legume belonging to the family Fabaceae. Chickpea is botanically called as Cicer arietinum. The other names of chickpea are garbanzo bean, Indian pea, ceci bean, Bengal gram. Chickpeas are high in protein. Desi and Kabuli are the two main kinds of chickpea. Desi chickpeas are smaller in size with dark and rough skin. In general, Desi chickpeas are rich in fiber content compared to Kabuli. Kabuli chickpeas are larger in size with light and smooth skin. In general, chickpeas have nut like taste and butter like texture.

(Source : Wiki & whfoods.com)

Health Benefits :

1. Chickpeas are a good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber.

2. High fiber content in the chickpeas prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia.

3. When combined with whole grains such as rice, garbanzos provide virtually fat-free high quality protein.

4. Chickpeas are an excellent source of the trace mineral, molybdenum, an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites. Sulfites are a type of preservative commonly added to prepared foods like delicatessen salads and salad bars.

(Source : www.whfoods.com)

Nutritional Chart :

For more details on chickpeas, you can check here, here and here .

The rules for the event :

1. Prepare any healthy

vegetarian dish with "Chickpeas" as the main ingredient.(No eggs too) Don't send split chickpea or Chickpea flour based dishes. This is Cooking with Whole Food event. So any form of refined product based dishes will not be accepted.

2. No limit to number of entries.

3. Archived entries are accepted. You don't have to repost them.

4. Post the entries (new as well archived ones) with the link to this event announcement, Kiran's Future Guest Hosts Page and event logo.

5. Please note that posting the logo of this event in your entries is compulsory one. You can remove the logo from the entries once the event ends.

6. Late entries will not be accepted.

7. Send me your entries with the subject line : CWF-LB : Chickpeas to nithuskitchen@gmail.com.

Mail me

the following details.

Your Name :

Recipe Name :

Recipe URL :

Photo of the Recipe :

Your Location :

8. Non-Bloggers can send in your entries with your name, recipe name, recipe and your location.

If you have any doubts, please mail me or leave a comment. I'l acknowledge your entries as soon as I receive them.

For recipe ideas, please see :

Spicy Chickpea

Channa Masala

Mint & Black Channa Pulav

Sprouted Black Channa & Tamarind Poha Upma