Gorgeous Green Chickpea Leek Fritters

I love a chickpea dish. Chickpeas are high in fiber, protein and healthy fats. They have a low glycemic index and are beneficial for blood sugar regulation, heart health and healthy digestion. They’re also really inexpensive dried or canned and I cook them about once a week in various iterations.

I was particularly inspired after watching the Blue Zones documentary on Netflix a few months ago which chronicles five cities around the world which have the most centarians (people who live to 100+) and generally healthy aging populations. One of the biggest commonalities between these blue zones is their regular consumption of beans. In fact, whether black beans in Costa Rica, chickpeas in Sardinia or soybeans in Okinawa, these beautifully aging populations eat at least four times as many beans as the average American. So upping my bean intake has been number one priority because this lady is going to live to 165!

This recipe came about because I was seeking a different way to get in my weekly dose of chickpeas that wasn’t roasted or blended. I still wanted that mediterranean vibe so pulled in lots of herbs and lemon, added a healthy dose of greens and combined it all to bake so it doesn’t have that oily fried taste but is actually quite healthy and satisfying.

They were SO good. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside with a flavor that transports you to the Mediterranean seaside. I also love the beautiful color of these, specked with green they almost looked like a painting, too beautiful to eat though Nick and I finished every last one in one sitting. I hope you enjoy them and they inspire you to eat more beans!

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Gorgeous Green Chickpea Leek Fritters

Author: Sarah Dubow

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 H & 5 M

Ingredients

• 1 can of chickpeas rinsed
• Three stalks of kale destemmed and massaged with a little olive oil and salt for 3 minutes
• One large leek (white part only)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1/2 cup dill fresh (or 3-4 tablespoons dried)
• Any mix of mint, tarragon, parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup gf breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tapioca flour or cornstarch
• Pepper to taste
• 1 egg or flax egg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and pulse in food processor or by hand- you want it to still have small pieces so there’s some texture
3. Chop the leeks and garlic and saute with a little olive oil and salt until translucent and fragrant, it should be clear not brown, if brown turn down the temperature
4. Once done- put leeks and garlic, kale and dill into processor and blend until smooth
5. Add chickpeas, garlic/leek mix, lemon, lemon zest spices and egg into a bowl and mix thoroughly
6. Add tapioca/corn starch and bread crumbs and mix again
7. Form patties with hands and place on a baking sheet with parchment paper
8. Bake at 400 for 30-45 minutes or until slightly crispy and browned on the outside
9. Top with more lemon zest, dill or toasted almonds and serve over salad or with rice
10. I like to make a simple yogurt sauce with almond milk yogurt, a little dijon, lemon, garlic and salt but a tzatziki or tahini would taste great on this too

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