Lil' Fit Birdie

5 reasons to eat chickpeas (Garbanzo beans):

1. It contains soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. Soluble fiber helps stabilize blood sugar levels–great for those with insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes

2. It has a low GI value of 28-32, meaning that it is digested slowly and keeps us fuller for longer. It helps us control our appetite–perfect for those on weight-loss diets

3. Good source of protein, especially for vegetarians!

4. Boosts energy due to its rich manganese and iron content

5. Keeps our heart beating strong–helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and total cholesterol, and lowers the risk of heart attack

Chickpea Rice Blend Recipe

Serving Size: 2

Total time: 16 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ tomato, chopped
• 2 white button mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed
• ½ lemon
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper, ground

Instructions:

1. Cook the rice in a rice cooker or stove top with a drizzle of olive oil. In the meantime, chop the pepper, tomatoes, mushroom and parsley into miniscule pieces. (Rid of the center of the tomato–water/seeds)

2. Drizzle olive oil into a pan and cook the onion, pepper, mushroom and tomato

3. Add the Garbanzo beans and continue cooking on reduced heat. Add oil as needed. Sprinkle salt and pepper and mix

4. Add the cooked rice and parsley. Squeeze lemon. Add salt and pepper as desired and mix thoroughly

5. Voila!