Chickpea Bowls (Vegan)

Sometimes I like to cook with chickpeas. I know they aren’t for everyone, but they are a wonderful meat substitute in many recipes. Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are beige in color, pea shaped, and part of the legume family. They are very versatile and packed with protein.

Chickpea Bowls are wonderful. They are easy to prepare, come together in 20 minutes or less, and can easily be customized with the toppings of your choice. Wonderful weeknight recipes that are healthy and light but will still fill you up.

The 2 recipes I want to share with you today are as follows:

VEGAN ORANGE CHICKPEAS are sweet and tangy with a lovely citrusy flavor, similar to orange chicken from a Chinese restaurant.

VEGAN SESAME CHICKPEAS are sweet and have a slightly roasted flavor with a sticky sauce, similar to sesame chicken from a Chinese restaurant.

Both recipes are vegan. Feel free to substitute ingredients or add toppings that are not vegan if you follow a different meal plan. Let’s walk through how to make each recipe.

VEGAN ORANGE CHICKPEAS

Start by cooking the rice according to package instructions.

Next, cook the broccoli according to package instructions. Fresh or frozen broccoli works fine, use what you have available. Or substitute with a frozen vegetable medley or cauliflower.

Next, prep the rest of your ingredients. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and juice and zest the oranges.

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant. Add the orange juice, maple syrup, tamari, rice vinegar, and hot sauce. Whisk to combine. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and pour into the saucepan. Stir to combine.

Continue to heat the mixture until a slow boil starts. Then, add the chickpeas, orange juice, and orange zest. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and continue to heat for about 5 minutes to allow the mixture to thicken.

Assemble the bowls by adding the rice to the bottom of the bowl and topping with the orange chickpeas and steamed broccoli. Serve warm and enjoy!

The recipe can be found here.

VEGAN SESAME CHICKPEAS

Start by cooking the rice according to package instructions.

Next, cook the broccoli according to package instructions. Fresh or frozen broccoli works fine, use what you have available. Or substitute with a frozen vegetable medley or cauliflower.

Next, prep the rest of your ingredients. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and mince the garlic.

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the tamari, sesame oil, maple syrup, rice vinegar, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, and 2 Tbsp vegetable broth. Whisk to combine. Combine the arrowroot powder and 2 Tbsp vegetable broth in a small bowl and pour into the saucepan. Stir to combine.

Continue to heat the mixture until a slow boil starts. Then, add the chickpeas and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and continue to heat for about 5 minutes to allow the mixture to thicken.