This is a variation of my Chickpea Patties recipe.  I wanted to improve the recipe by increasing the moistness, so I added soaked chia seeds to the chickpea mixture. I was very happy with the results—and so were the customers. I got rave reviews!

Ingredients

1 cup dry chickpeas—soaked over night (at least 8 hours)
6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Soak chia seeds in water for at least 15 minutes (they will become gelatinous). Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Drain and rinse chickpeas. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add chickpeas, chia/water mixture and remaining ingredients. Process until well combined—grinding all ingredients until they come together and can be made into patties. The mixture should be moist. Form into 3–4 inch patties, ¼–½ inch thick. Place on a well-greased cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn patties over and continue to cook on other side for about 5 minutes. Serve warm, hot or at room temperature. Goes great with Tahini Dressing. Makes approximately 20 patties.

Tahini Dressing
½ cup sesame tahini
½ cup water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons maple syrup, or other natural sweetener
¼ teaspoon salt

Add tahini in a mixing bowl. Gradually add the water—stirring as you blend it into the tahini. Add other ingredients and continue to stir until smooth and creamy. Serve with chickpea patties, falafel, salad, crudités.

Health Benefits of Chick Peas

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. Eating chickpeas regularly can help you manage your weight, boost intestinal health and reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Cholesterol
Having elevated cholesterol levels significantly increases your risk of suffering from a stroke or heart attack. Eating soluble-rich foods like chickpeas and oatmeal can reduce your cholesterol levels naturally. In a study published in the June 2008 Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers investigated the effect of around 700 g of chickpeas weekly on a group of adults with high cholesterol. The researchers found that chickpeas effectively reduced the cholesterol levels of participants by an average of 16 mg/dl.

Weight Loss
Including fiber-rich foods in your diet plan can make weight loss more effective. Fiber distends your stomach, making you feel satiated for longer periods. If you eat legumes like chickpeas regularly you can expect more robust weight loss than you’d get from simply cutting calories, a study described in the March 2009 Journal of Medicinal Food states. Volunteers in that study who ate legumes daily lost an average of 8 lbs. over an eight-week period — outperforming a typical low-calorie diet.

Intestinal Health
Fiber-rich foods like chickpeas help promote a healthy intestine. The fiber in chickpeas lessens the strain on your intestine, reducing the risk of painful diverticulitis disease and constipation, Harvard University reports. A single-cup serving of canned chickpeas contains more than 10 g of fiber, the USDA Nutrient Database states.

Diabetes
People who eat legumes are less likely to become type 2 diabetic, according to a study published in the January American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The paper reports on a study which found that women who ate legumes like chickpeas were 40 percent less likely to get type 2 diabetes than women that who didn’t eat legumes. The authors note that the carbohydrates in legumes are digested slowly, reducing the blood sugar peaks and valleys that can contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes.