Who said chickpeas can’t be used as a side dish accompanying meat? It’s actually a great combination, especially when paired with onion and herbs like sage and oregano. This meal is filling, healthy, and made in no time!
Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) benefits
Chickpeas are a rich source of plant-based protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber, and have great health benefits, such as improving digestion and aiding weight management.
A 1-ounce (28-gram) serving provides 46 calories, 8g of carbs, 2g of fiber, and 3g of protein. Chickpeas are also rich in folate, iron, phosphorus, copper, and manganese.
Protein and fiber in chickpeas work together to slow digestion, which helps promote fullness. Its plant-based protein content is a great food choice for vegans and vegetarians. Chickpeas also have a low GI (glycemic index) and therefore may help manage your blood sugar levels.
Unfortunately, chickpeas are part of the legume family and are also full of lectins that can harm your gut wall. Fortunately, there is a solution to eliminate lectins in chickpeas and other legumes for people sensitive to them.
How to Eliminate Lectins in Chickpeas?
Lectins in legumes can be easily eliminated by pressure cooking.
First, they have to be soaked in water overnight. The water in which the chickpeas were soaked in needs to be discarded and chickpeas washed under running water. Now, the chickpeas are ready to be place in a pressure cooker covered with fresh water at least 1″ above chickpeas. Pressure cooking soaked chickpeas takes 10-15 minutes with 10 minutes of natural release. Remaining water after boiling the chickpeas needs to be discarded and the chickpeas washed under running water, again. Now the chickpeas are ready for consumption.
Oregano Pork Chops with Sage Chickpeas
Ingredients
- Avocado oil
- 1 big red onion, sliced into thin circles
- salt and fresh pepper
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups pressure cooked chickpeas or Eden brand (already pressure cooked)
- A handful of fresh sage leaves
- Pastured pork chops with bone
- Mixed green salad for serving
Directions
- In a frying pan heat avocado oil and add the sliced onion. Season with a little bit of salt and let sauté for about 10 minutes, then add water and boil for another 3 minutes.
- Add pressure-cooked chickpeas, salt, and pepper and let warm a little. Cut the sage and cook it together with chickpeas until wilted.
- In the meantime, heat avocado oil in a different pan. Season pork chops with salt and oregano and fry in oil for about 5-7 minutes from each side, then remove and place on a preheated plate, cover it with another plate or aluminum foil.
- Transfer the chickpeas from one frying pan to the pan where the meat was cooking and mix so the sauce from the meat covers the chickpeas.
- Serve on a big plate with a green salad. Enjoy!
Thank you for stopping by! After struggling for more than a decade with digestive issues, I finally unraveled the connection between serious inflammation problems, fatigue, and brain fog. My own healing journey led me to become a certified Integrative Health Coach, that is passionate about helping others find hope and to heal.