Chickpea is one of the richest legumes in vegetable protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. It also has the advantage of being low in fat and therefore contains no cholesterol. It is a food of choice for a gluten-free diet.

Dried chickpeas need to be soaked for 24 hours and then boiled in salted water for about an hour before they can be eaten. They are also found pre-cooked in cans. In this case, it is enough simply to rinse them well before using them.

In Quebec, chickpeas are mainly used in the preparation of oriental dishes such as hummus and curries of all kinds. They can also be added to a vegetable soup to make it a heartier meal!

1. Use fresh chickpeas instead of canned chickpeas. You'll get that nutty flavor that can't be found in canned chickpeas. For cooking, soak the chickpeas for 24 hours. Then boil for a good hour or until the chickpeas are easily crushed between your fingers.

2. Keep some of the chickpea cooking water to stretch the hummus. It will be smoother and therefore less grainy

3. Use mostly vegetable oil and a little olive oil. It's a bit the same principle as a mayonnaise; the olive oil gives off a too powerful taste and sometimes alters the taste of the hummus, even giving it a little spiciness which becomes unpleasant in the long run.

4. Use roasted garlic instead of fresh garlic. See the explanation of last week's trick.

5. Cumin is the base of Hummus, it is the spice that goes best with the taste of chickpeas. There is no need to use any kind of spice mix, just cumin does the trick.

Black beans are excellent for health; they ensure the maintenance of good blood pressure, promote heart and bone health, reduce the risk of cancer and allow better blood sugar stability in diabetics. There are a multitude of reasons to consume it!

Add black beans to your omelet, soup, rice, or salad for a healthy and nutritious meal.
You can even eat them as a dessert… discover here a recipe for black bean brownies.