Chickpea Coconut Curry

Chickpea Coconut Curry


Keeping in line with fast and easy, this recipe is again one that can be made with very little effort and time. An added benefit is that the cost to make this dish is budget-friendly. Finding affordable, fast, easy, and healthy dishes that cover your nutritional needs is not an easy task. This meal has you covered on all fronts, healthy, fast, easy, and affordable!

Recipe

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon coconut oil 
1 onion
4 cloves chopped, or 4 tablespoons of prepared minced garlic
1 nub of grated fresh ginger. You can substitute with powdered ginger. Use 1 teaspoon.
1 or 2 Tablespoons of Garam masala spice
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Sea salt to the desired flavor
1 and 1/2 cans of petite diced tomatoes. Drain the juice.
1/2 cup of vegetable broth. You can sub chicken broth. Use vegetable broth to keep it vegan.
1 can of coconut cream full fat. You can substitute for low fat if desired.
2 cans of garbanzo beans. Drained and rinsed. 
1/2 lime the juice of a half of a lime.
Chopped fresh cilantro
Rice of choice. I used a combination of whole-grain brown rice and quinoa. Spoon curry over rice. 

Directions

Heat coconut oil. Then add the onions, garlic, and ginger to the pot. If you are using powdered ginger then wait to add. Next, add the drained and rinsed garbanzo beans and the petite diced tomatoes. Add the spices. Stir together. Stir in the vegetable broth and coconut cream.  Let simmer until beans are cooked all the way through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the juice of half a lime. Stir. Add fresh chopped cilantro. Salt and pepper to desired taste.

Spoon over rice. I made a combination of whole-grain brown rice and quinoa. I bought it as a packet at Kroger Simple Truth Organic. One more way to make healthy meals with little time.

This recipe can be altered in many different ways. I have added a small amount of chili powder and paprika for a smoky spicy flavor. You can add other spices like cayenne pepper, or milk to replace broth to give a thinner consistency. I have added a teaspoon of organic brown sugar for a sweeter taste. You can use coconut sugar for a sweeter taste. I have added sweet chili sauce and sriracha sauce for a sweet and spicy flavor. Play with it. Have fun and enjoy! 




In each recipe, I include nutritional education for at least one ingredient. I am choosing the star of the show in this dish, garbanzo beans to share nutritional information on, even though the entire dish is nutritionally dense with powerful anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber.

Garbanzo Beans Nutrition Benefits

Garbonzo beans AKA Chickpeas are part of the legume family. They are often used as a replacement for animal proteins such as meats. They are highly nutritious and are high in protein and fiber, making them a perfect choice for your next meal. They are used in many dishes including one that you may recognize, hummus. It is the main ingredient in hummus.

Garbanzo beans are a great plant-based protein. They leave you feeling full and nourished. This is due to the high fiber and protein content of the bean, along with other nutritional components such as iron, zinc, phosphorus, B vitamins, and more.

Not All Carbs are Created Equally!

Garbanzo beans are low in calories and satiate the appetite. They are considered a "good" carb because they digest slowly, thus helping to stabilize blood sugar levels. This "good" carb is also known as a complex carbohydrate. Complex carbs slowly release carbohydrates into the bloodstream, thus preventing blood sugar spikes and dips, aiding in digestion and diabetes.

Simple carbohydrates such as carbs with refined white sugars, refined flours, white bread, pasta, candy, soda pop, and other processed foods will spike and dip blood sugar levels decreasing energy levels and increasing the risk for diabetes.

Garbanzo beans provide us with sustained fuel that provides us with stable energy without the spikes and dips in energy. They are considered a "good" starch because they take an extended period of time to break down and release the carbs slowly into the bloodstream. This is good news for the diabetic.

Since garbanzo beans help you to feel fuller longer, they will help to cut out unhealthy snacking throughout the day. Adding legumes such as chickpeas AKA garbanzo beans to your daily diet will aid in weight loss and weight management.

Good Gut Bateria, pH, and Prevention of Disease

The fiber in garbanzo beans has other benefits other than making you feel fuller longer. Fiber is an important component of gut health. It helps to balance the pH levels in your gut in addition to increasing the healthy bacteria. By increasing good bacteria in the gut, bad bacteria die off. The "bad" type of gut bacteria is attributed to many diseases such as gastrointestinal diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other diseases. Healthy gut bacteria is vital to good health.

Excellent Source of Plant-Based Protein

Protein is an essential nutrient that plays a vital role in all functions of the body. It keeps our organs and muscles working properly. It aids in tissue repair and development and keeps our hormone levels in check. In addition, protein consumed from food helps our bodies create antibodies, fights microorganisms, aids in wound healing and from injuries. 

Protein is responsible for building and maintaining muscle. It gives us lasting energy and helps to control our blood sugar. Protein also helps us feel fuller longer. Chickpeas are high in both fiber and protein making this a weight control friendly food. Both fiber and protein help to make you feel fuller longer, and both aid in blood sugar stabilization. 

Eating this protein-rich food with grains or vegetables you will have yourself a complete protein. This means that the foods work in concert with each other to contain all of the essential amino acids that the body requires in order for the body to function and to provide energy. Because of the high protein content of garbanzo beans, this ancient food makes for an excellent plant-based protein for vegans and vegetarians or for anyone looking to improve overall health. 

Healthy pH, and PMS Symptom Relief

Speaking of pH, we have all heard of alkaline or acid pH right? Well, garbanzo beans aid in balancing pH in the body by lowering the acidity levels in the body.  And ladies you may be happy to know that research also shows that garbanzo beans help to reduce symptoms related to PMS. The nutrients responsible for aiding in the relief of PMS symptoms include vitamin B6, magnesium, and manganese. Garbanzo beans are rich in these nutrients.

One cup (about 164 grams) of boiled chickpeas contains approximately:

  • 269 calories
  • 45 grams carbohydrates
  • 14.5 grams protein
  • 4.2 grams fat
  • 12.5 grams fiber
  • 1.7 milligrams manganese (84 percent DV)
  • 282 micrograms folate (71 percent DV)
  • 0.6 milligram copper (29 percent DV)
  • 276 milligrams phosphorus (28 percent DV)
  • 4.7 milligrams iron (26 percent DV)
  • 78.7 milligrams magnesium (20 percent DV)
  • 2.5 milligrams zinc (17 percent DV)
  • 477 milligram potassium (14 percent DV)
  • 0.2 milligram thiamine (13 percent DV)
  • 0.2 milligram vitamin B6 (11 percent DV)
  • 6.1 micrograms selenium (9 percent DV)
  • 6.6 micrograms vitamin K (8 percent DV)
  • 80.4 milligrams calcium (8 percent DV)
  • 0.1 milligram riboflavin (6 percent DV)
  • 0.5 milligram pantothenic acid (5 percent DV)
Chickpeas nutrition also provides some vitamin A, C and E and niacin.

The Worlds Healthiest Foods provides an in-depth nutritional profile of garbanzo beans. 

Garbanzo Beans, cooked
1.00 cup
164.00 grams
Calories: 269
GI: low
NutrientAmountDRI/DV
(%)
Nutrient
Density
World's Healthiest
Foods Rating
molybdenum123.00 mcg27318.3excellent
manganese1.69 mg734.9very good
folate282.08 mcg714.7very good
copper0.58 mg644.3very good
fiber12.46 g453.0good
phosphorus275.52 mg392.6good
protein14.53 g291.9good
iron4.74 mg261.8good
zinc2.51 mg231.5good
World's Healthiest
Foods Rating
Rule
excellentDRI/DV>=75% OR
Density>=7.6 AND DRI/DV>=10%
very goodDRI/DV>=50% OR
Density>=3.4 AND DRI/DV>=5%
goodDRI/DV>=25% OR
Density>=1.5 AND DRI/DV>=2.5%

Garbanzo Beans, cooked
(Note: "--" indicates data unavailable)
1.00 cup
(164.00 g)
GI: low
BASIC MACRONUTRIENTS AND CALORIES
nutrientamountDRI/DV
(%)
Protein14.53 g29
Carbohydrates44.97 g20
Fat - total4.25 g5
Dietary Fiber12.46 g45
Calories268.9615
MACRONUTRIENT AND CALORIE DETAIL
nutrientamountDRI/DV
(%)
Carbohydrate:
Starch-- g
Total Sugars7.87 g
Monosaccharides-- g
Fructose-- g
Glucose-- g
Galactose-- g
Disaccharides-- g
Lactose-- g
Maltose-- g
Sucrose-- g
Soluble Fiber3.87 g
Insoluble Fiber8.59 g
Other Carbohydrates24.63 g
Fat:
Monounsaturated Fat0.96 g
Polyunsaturated Fat1.90 g
Saturated Fat0.44 g
Trans Fat0.00 g
Calories from Fat38.23
Calories from Saturated Fat3.97
Calories from Trans Fat0.00
Cholesterol0.00 mg
Water98.74 g
MICRONUTRIENTS
nutrientamountDRI/DV
(%)
Vitamins
Water-Soluble Vitamins
B-Complex Vitamins
Vitamin B10.19 mg16
Vitamin B20.10 mg8
Vitamin B30.86 mg5
Vitamin B3 (Niacin Equivalents)3.19 mg
Vitamin B60.23 mg14
Vitamin B120.00 mcg0
Biotin-- mcg--
Choline70.19 mg17
Folate282.08 mcg71
Folate (DFE)282.08 mcg
Folate (food)282.08 mcg
Pantothenic Acid0.47 mg9
Vitamin C2.13 mg3
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin A (Retinoids and Carotenoids)
Vitamin A International Units (IU)44.28 IU
Vitamin A mcg Retinol Activity Equivalents (RAE)2.21 mcg (RAE)0
Vitamin A mcg Retinol Equivalents (RE)4.43 mcg (RE)
Retinol mcg Retinol Equivalents (RE)0.00 mcg (RE)
Carotenoid mcg Retinol Equivalents (RE)4.43 mcg (RE)
Alpha-Carotene0.00 mcg
Beta-Carotene26.24 mcg
Beta-Carotene Equivalents26.24 mcg
Cryptoxanthin0.00 mcg
Lutein and Zeaxanthin0.00 mcg
Lycopene0.00 mcg
Vitamin D
Vitamin D International Units (IU)0.00 IU0
Vitamin D mcg0.00 mcg
Vitamin E
Vitamin E mg Alpha-Tocopherol Equivalents (ATE)0.57 mg (ATE)4
Vitamin E International Units (IU)0.86 IU
Vitamin E mg0.57 mg
Vitamin K6.56 mcg7
Minerals
nutrientamountDRI/DV
(%)
Boron-- mcg
Calcium80.36 mg8
Chloride-- mg
Chromium-- mcg--
Copper0.58 mg64
Fluoride-- mg--
Iodine-- mcg--
Iron4.74 mg26
Magnesium78.72 mg19
Manganese1.69 mg73
Molybdenum123.00 mcg273
Phosphorus275.52 mg39
Potassium477.24 mg10
Selenium6.07 mcg11
Sodium11.48 mg1
Zinc2.51 mg23
INDIVIDUAL FATTY ACIDS
nutrientamountDRI/DV
(%)
Omega-3 Fatty Acids0.07 g3
Omega-6 Fatty Acids1.83 g
Monounsaturated Fats
14:1 Myristoleic0.00 g
15:1 Pentadecenoic0.00 g
16:1 Palmitol0.01 g
17:1 Heptadecenoic0.00 g
18:1 Oleic0.95 g
20:1 Eicosenoic0.00 g
22:1 Erucic0.00 g
24:1 Nervonic0.00 g
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
18:2 Linoleic1.83 g
18:2 Conjugated Linoleic (CLA)-- g
18:3 Linolenic0.07 g
18:4 Stearidonic0.00 g
20:3 Eicosatrienoic0.00 g
20:4 Arachidonic0.00 g
20:5 Eicosapentaenoic (EPA)0.00 g
22:5 Docosapentaenoic (DPA)0.00 g
22:6 Docosahexaenoic (DHA)0.00 g
Saturated Fatty Acids
4:0 Butyric-- g
6:0 Caproic-- g
8:0 Caprylic-- g
10:0 Capric-- g
12:0 Lauric-- g
14:0 Myristic0.01 g
15:0 Pentadecanoic-- g
16:0 Palmitic0.35 g
17:0 Margaric-- g
18:0 Stearic0.06 g
20:0 Arachidic-- g
22:0 Behenate-- g
24:0 Lignoceric-- g
INDIVIDUAL AMINO ACIDS
nutrientamountDRI/DV
(%)
Alanine0.62 g
Arginine1.37 g
Aspartic Acid1.71 g
Cysteine0.20 g
Glutamic Acid2.54 g
Glycine0.61 g
Histidine0.40 g
Isoleucine0.62 g
Leucine1.03 g
Lysine0.97 g
Methionine0.19 g
Phenylalanine0.78 g
Proline0.60 g
Serine0.73 g
Threonine0.54 g
Tryptophan0.14 g
Tyrosine0.36 g
Valine0.61 g


Comments