Chickpeas are delightfully tasty and healthy. They help maintain blood sugar levels, facilitate weight loss, aid digestion owing to their fiber content , protect you against heart diseases, and potentially, even cancer. It is also a great source of vitamins, proteins and other micronutrients to the body. The inclusion of chickpeas in meals offers an amazing taste and incessant health benefits.

Read on for 5 healthy chickpea recipes that are great for your heart:

Curried Falafel with Kale Salad
Ingredients required:

• Refined oil or olive oil
• Onion
• Garlic
• Cooked chickpeas
• Lemon juice
• Curry powder
• Sea salt
• Chickpea flour
• Tahini
• Maple Syrup
• Nutritional yeast
• Sea salt
• Ground pepper
• Kale
• Carrot
• Cucumber

How to prepare:
Preheat the microwave to 425-degrees F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and grease it with oil. Add 1 roughly chopped onion and 2 cloves of garlic in a food processor and pulse it to form a paste. Add 2 cups of cooked chickpeas, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of curry powder, and salt according to taste. Pulse them together. Then add ½ cup of chickpea flour and blend in the processor. Let the mixture rest for 30-40 minutes as it absorbs excess moisture. Use the parchment paper to roll the mixture into balls, and bake them for 25 minutes. Prepare the dressing by whisking together in a bowl, 3 tablespoons of tahini, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast, 2 teaspoons of curry powder, salt and pepper to taste. Take another large bowl and prepare the kale salad. Add 4-5 cups of bite-sized pieces of kale, 1 grated carrot, and 1 diced cucumber. Also, add the dressing and toss them to combine. Top the salad with falafel, and the dish is ready.

Smoky Chickpeas on Grilled Toast with Poached eggs
Ingredients required:

• Bread
• Olive oil
• Black pepper
• Poached eggs
• Zahtar
• Chickpeas
• Onion
• Garlic
• Tomato paste
• Cayenne Pepper
• Smoked paprika
• Red bell peppers
• Tomato
• Sugar

How to prepare:
To prepare stewed chickpeas, take a large saucepan, and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 coarsely chopped onion, and 2 chopped red bell peppers. Cook for 8 minutes unless they soften. Add 2 crushed cloves of garlic and cook for another minute. Now add 1 and ½ teaspoon of tomato paste, ¼ teaspoon of cayenne powder, ¼ teaspoon of smoked paprika, salt and pepper according to taste. Combine well. Add the whole mixture to a food processor and blend to form a paste. Cook the paste in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in between. Add 1 large coarsely chopped tomato, ½ teaspoon of sugar, 1 can of chickpeas, and a cup of water. Cover the pan and let the mixture simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally and add water to let it remain like a sauce. Remove the lid and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Brush 4 slices of bread with olive oil and bake on both sides. Spoon the stewed chickpeas on the top. Arrange the poached egg over the bread, drizzle with zaatar and olive oil. The dish is ready.

Ginger Squash Stew, Chickpeas with Rice
Ingredients required:

• Yellow onion
• Olive oil
• Carrot
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Chilli
• Indian ground spices
• Nutmeg
• All spices
• Butternut squash
• Tomatoes
• Broth
• Water
• Chickpeas
• Salt
• Coconut milk
• Challao

How to prepare:
Take 1 large butternut squash, peel and dice into 1-inch pieces. Drizzle olive oil over it, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 minutes at 375-degrees F. Meanwhile, chop the rest of the ingredients. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté 1 large chopped carrot, 1 chopped yellow onion, and 1-2 minced chilli for 5-6 minutes. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 head of minced ginger, 2 teaspoons of garam masala, and sauté for another 30 seconds. Stir the spices regularly. Add 2 cups of water, 2 cups of vegetable broth, 1 can of coconut milk, and boil the mixture. After reducing the heat, add 2 cans of 15-oz rinsed chickpeas, roasted squash and 1 28-oz can of diced tomatoes. Cook for 15 minutes. Add 1 bunch of chopped challao’s, and cook for another 5 minutes. Season it according to taste, and serve along with steamed rice.

Simple Hummus
Ingredients required:

• Chickpeas
• Garlic
• Tahini
• Lemon
• Olive oil

How to prepare:
Put 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas in a food processor. Peel one clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon of tahini, and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and squeeze 1 lemon into it. Season with salt according to taste, and grind to create a paste. Use a spatula to smoothen the mixture. Add more water and lemon juice if required. Serve with extra veggies like carrots, cucumber, or bell peppers.

Mediterranean Chickpea Stew
Ingredients required:

• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Black pepper and sea salt
• Scallions
• Red bell pepper
• Hot chilli pepper
• Paprika
• Cumin
• Organic San Marzano tomatoes
• Brown sugar
• Chickpeas
• Lemon
• Fresh parsley
• Mint leaves
• Whole wheat pita

How to prepare:
Preheat the oven to 400-degrees F. Roast garlic in an aluminium foil after drizzling it with olive oil and black pepper, for 40 minutes. Place a saucepan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Add 1 pinch of freshly cracked bell pepper, and 3 scallions thinly sliced, into the pan. Stir the mixture and add salt, 1 teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of cumin. Pour in the can of hand-crushed tomatoes, a pinch of brown sugar, sea salt, and a pinch of freshly cracked pepper. Let the mixture simmer for another 20 minutes. Crush 4 peeled cloves of garlic with a fork. Add the peeled garlic, 2 cups of chickpeas, zest of half a lemon, slices of 5 large mint leaves, and a handful of minced parsley into the stew. Stir properly unless it gets heated. Serve the stew in a big bowl and place it alongside the whole-wheat pita bread.

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