Cheap and Easy Vegetarian Recipe with Chickpeas

Chickpeas and Roasted Vegetables in Low-Fat Cheese Sauce

bean chart from freedigitalphotos.net

Healthy Chickpea Vegatarian Recipe

Beans and pulses are cheap and healthy. This is a tasty vegetarian recipe using chickpeas and roasted vegetables in a cheese sauce. This recipe uses low fat ingredients to make a low calorie dish. It is really tasty, full of healthy nutrients and really cheap to make. It is ideal for a lunch or supper and you will find non-veggies clamouring for it as a side dish.
Not only do chickpeas add a delicious nutty flavour and texture to this dish, they are full of protein, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals which make them the ideal for vegetarian health. They are thought to help lower cholesterol and they are a slow-release food which makes them ideal for weight management.

Why eating beans is good for you

Anyone on a vegetarian diet is generally healthy but one thing they need to consider is how to get protein into their diet - carnivores get their protein in meat and fish. Protein is needed every day to help build and renew every cell in the body. Chickpeas are part of the beans and pulses family, and they are rich in protein as is the cheese in this recipe. Beans are low in saturated fats, those bad fats that cause high blood pressure, strokes and heart disease. They are also high in fiber to maintain a healthy digestive system. Beans are also considered to be antioxidants which fight free radicals, those things that cause premature aging and some cancers. Beans are also very rich in minerals and vitamin including Vit B complex, Vit C and K, iron and copper.
Beans are a slow release food, they release their energy over a period of time which keeps blood sugar at steady levels - this helps to reduce those cravings that make you break your weight loss diet. Beans make you feel fuller for longer. Include 2-3 cups of beans or pulses in your diet every week for optimum health.

legumes from pixabay.com

How to prepare dried beans for cooking

Dried beans and chickpeas are very cheap to buy and are much healthier than tinned ones. The only tinned beans I use are red kidney beans because they need extra preparations to ensure the removal of toxins. Red lentils don't need preparation for cooking but everything else does. You need to soak beans and hard lentils, usually overnight, then cook for 30 minutes before they can be added to your recipes. They do freeze well though so prepare a whole bag at once and freeze in small portions so they can just be taken out and added to any dish.

Instructions

• Empty a whole bag of dried beans into a large bowl or saucepan.
• Cover completely with cold water.
• Leave to soak overnight.
• Drain the beans and rinse under clean running water.
• Put them in a large pot with loads of water.
• Bring to the boil, and boil fast for 10 minutes. You may have to skim a little scum from the top of the water.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
• Drain the beans in a collander.
• When they are cold, divide into 2-4 ounce portion bags and freeze. They don't need to be defrosted before use.

Courgette or Zucchini

my home grown courgettes

Cook Time

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 1 hour

Ready in: 1 hour 15 min

Yields: Serves 1

chickpeas and veggies in cheese sauce

How to Make Chickpeas and Roasted Vegetables in Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 courgette, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• handful sweetcorn kernals
• handful cooked chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• FOR THE SAUCE FOR THE SAUCE
• 1 oz low fat butter
• 1 oz flour
• 1 pint skimmed milk
• 1oz mature cheese, grated

Instructions for roasted vegetables

1. pre heat oven to 220 degrees
2. prepare vegetables and cut into cubes or circles
3. place on a baking tray, sprinkle with herbs and spray with olive oil
4. roast in oven for about 40 minutes turning at least once

To complete the dish

Remove vegetables from oven and place in oven-proof dish or divide between three individual dishes.
Add chickpeas to the dish
Pour the sauce over veggie, chick pea mix
Top with grated cheese
Cook in moderately hot oven 200 degrees until the top is golden brown
Serve with baby-leaf green salad
Add garlic bread if you are not on a diet.

cheese board from pixabay.com

To make the sauce

Melt butter in a small saucepan

Add flour, mix without lumps
Cook for one minute
Remove from heat
Slowly, stirring all the time, add milk ensuring a smooth mix without lumps
Return to the heat and bring to the boil
Boil for 1 minute
Remove from heat
Add 1 ounces of grated cheese to your own taste - if you use a mature cheese you need to use less in volumn
Season with salt and pepper

Nutrition Values and Costs

ingredients	calories	fat	protein	cost
Courgette x1	80	1.6g	8.2g	50p
100g chickpeas	105	1.5g	5.5g	20p
handful sweetcorn kernals	66	0.5g	2.1g	25p
carrot	25	0	0.5g	8p
wholemeal flour x 1oz	100	0.54g	4g	5p
low fat butter x 1oz	180	20g	0.2g	21p
skimmed milk x 1pt	200	0	8g	70p
mature cheese x 1oz	100	4.5g	8.6g	6p
DISH FOR 3 SERVING	856			£2.05
DISH FOR SINGLE SERVING	285			68P

If you want to lower the calorie count, do not add the cheese to the sauce, the plain white sauce goes well with roasted vegetables and chickpeas.

The main health benefit to eating chickpeas

chickpeas from pixabay.com

Chickpeas are really high in fibre which is great for your digestive system plus it is slow-release which helps you to feel fuller longer. That is especially handy if you are health conscious. We all know by now that it is best to maintain a steady blood sugar level throughout the day without huge surges or sudden drops. A slow-release food like this keeps your blood sugar level up there till your next meal.
Of course for vegetarians it is an important source of protein. You need protein for cell building, for renewing cells and that applies to brain cells. People who have high levels of protein in their diet tend to be much more resilient, they can concentrate for longer and their energy levels keep constant.
It is thought foods like these help the body fight free radicals, those elements that are believed to cause cancers. They are full of anti-oxidants. They are also high in iron and manganese and a whole raft of vitamins.
There are lots of places you can learn more and I've included some links below that you might find interesting.

Some useful links

• Benefits of Chickpeas | LIVESTRONG.COM
  Whether you call it a chickpea or a garbanzo bean, there's no question that chickpeas are a healthy addition to any diet. Chickpeas are naturally low in fat, high in dietary fiber and rich in vitamins and minerals.
• 3 health benefits of chickpeas - Canadian Living
  From cutting cholesterol to warding off hunger cravings, chickpeas are a must-have on your next grocery list. Here are three health benefits of chickpeas.

Easy Vegetarian Recipe: Mini Sweet Pepper Boats

Mini Sweet Pepper Boats

The vegetarian on the 5:2 diet

recipe card mini pepper boats

I hope you enjoy my easy vegetarian recipe for mine sweet pepper boats with feta cheese. 

The one thing I have found difficult as a vegetarian is finding suitable recipes for my intermittent fasting days.

I am having great success with the 5:2 diet, I have already dropped 3 dress sizes in 3 months and feel much better for it. I've talked about it before but in case you don't know -  you eat a normal healthy diet 5 days every week and on 2 non-consecutive days eat 500 calories or less. This is definitely the best way to use your body metabolism to aid in weight management. 

This is one of the recipes I have developed for my 'fasting days'. It is only 150 calories and cost me only 97p.  I initially picked them out at the supermarket because they were so cute! Lucky for me they turn out to be as tasty as they look.

Easy Vegetarian Recipe for One: Sweet Potato Noodles and Feta Bake

Sweet Potato Noodles and Feta Bake

This is a tasty vegetarian recipe for one that is ideal for using with an intermittent fasting diet - the 5:1 diet. It is only 216 calories and cost under £1 to make. Win Win.

I recently heard about using vegetables as noodles as a healthier alternative to pasta and, confess, I am hooked. Vegetable noodles are delicious raw or cooked and this recipe uses sweet potato which is probably my favourite.

The sweet potato contrasts nicely with the tang of the feta. Because the feta is salty I haven't added any more in the cooking and it was fine. Ideal for anyone trying to cut down on their salt count. The mix of the vegetable stock and feta gives this dish a delightful milky gravy.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Spiced Buns - Low Fat - Low Sugar Recipe

How to make spiced buns 

Spiced buns

that are low in fat, low in sugar, low in calories, high in taste!

Sometimes you just want something sweet. These tasty spiced buns that look after your waistline! Many of us need to watch our weight but it is easy to adapt well-loved recipes to create lower fat, lower sugar editions so you can still enjoy a treat. These spiced buns makes that even easier. Replacing some of the normal sugar amounts with dried fruit and shifting to a reduced-fat butter greatly reduces the calorie values without compromising taste.

This is also a time when most of us are watching the pennies and baking at home is becoming more popular again. You can create many buns, cakes and cookies from scratch for a fraction of the cost of shop-made produces. In addition, you also know exactly what goes into it and that puts you in control not the food manufacturers.

These spiced buns take only a few minutes to prepare then bake and can be served straight from the oven. Ideal for afternoon tea!

This recipe is based on UK ingredients - for example self-raising flour available here is flour that contains a raising agent so doesn't need baking powder - for US and Canada add the relevant amount of baking powder to the flour.

Cheap and Healthy Veggie Recipe: Vegetarian Egg Fried Rice

My Cheap and Easy Egg Fried Rice 

I'm not a fabulous cook, in fact I like to make things as easy as possible and this vegetarian egg fried rice couldn't be easier. This is an excellent way to use up left-over vegetables although using fresh vegetables gives them an extra bite that you might prefer.

For a REALLY easy option, when you are cooking a meal with rice put in some extra and cook some extra vegetables and you have a cheap and easy, nutritious lunch or supper for the next day.

I have the added benefit of using my own home-grown courgettes in this dish - there is nothing nicer than using food you have grown yourself.

I've based the timing on using left-over rice, cooking it first you will need another 12 minutes. Just make sure it is dry after cooking otherwise it will 'spit' in the wok.

If you don't have a wok, use a large frying pan.

I tend to use the cherry tomatoes as garnish rather than cooked in with the rice though they do cook well if you like them that way.

Serve with a green salad and you have a healthy meal for one.

Cheap and Easy Vegetarian Recipes: Cooking with Lentils

Vegetarian recipes: Cooking with lentils

red lentils photo by annmackiemiller

Lentils are a tasty healthy addition to any diet. Red lentils in particular are easy to use since they don't even have to be soaked beforehand. Included here is my favourite lentil soup recipe and a recipe for curried lentil stew. I like to make my soups and stews the night before I am going to eat them to allow all the flavours to mature.

Lentils are high in protein and low in fat. Protein is used to build and keep every cell in the body healthy and essential for vegetarians to add to their diet. Lentils also contain folate, magnesium, essential amino acids, iron and vitamins B, A and C. These are one of the super foods, a great source of anti-oxidants that fight against cancers, heart disease and strokes. The high fiber content helps keep a healthy bowel and reduces the risk of diseases of the alimentary tract. Lentils are a slow release food to they are ideal for maintaining a level blood sugar level, essential in preventing food cravings when you are on a weight loss diet. This is also great for diabetics or people like myself who have impaired glucose tolerance.

Images: Red Lentils by annmackiemiller - copyright 2014

Eggplant or Aubergine Slow Bake Vegetarian Recipe

Vegetarian dinner recipe: Slow Bake Aubergines

Aubergine or Eggplant from Pixabay

This is a tasty aubergine recipe that vegetarians and non-vegetarians will love. A one-dish casserole dish, it is cooked very slowly over several hours to allow all the flavours to blend. Aubergines are also known as eggplants and are often not cooked properly which puts people off. However, you simply cannot go wrong with this dish and it also freezes very well. When you are cooking for one, cook the whole thing then freeze in meal-sized portions for a quick ready meal that you know is completely healthy. An added bonus! This is very low in fat. 

Images: Aubergine Slow Bake by AnnMackieMiller

Bangers and Mash Vegetarian Style: Vegetarian Sausages with Potatoes and Onion Gravy

Vegetarian Cheap and Easy Recipe: Sausage and Mashed Potatoes 

Don't miss out on Bangers and Mash just 'cos you're a veggie!

Vegetarian Bangers and Mash
Sausages and mash potatoes

If I was to admit to missing one thing over the last 30 years of my vegetarian life, it would be sausages - called 'bangers' here in the UK. Since they are not exactly gourmet food, that isn't a great admission. However, fellow veggies, do not despair, there are a host of very good vegetarian options.

I'm sure this vegetarian version will provoke a few witty comments. On this very cold, very wet and windy day, it was also an ideal dish to make for supper, comfort food at its best. - and it is cheap and easy! Perfectly good excuses to make a vegetarian version of an old family favourite.

All the images used here are by me - please don't copy or reproduce them - but do feel free to try the recipe! :)