Cheezy Chickpea Balls

Yesterday, I received a big bag containing Lupin flakes, sent to me by Rhiannon over at Lupin Foods, all the way from Australia. So, what are Lupin Flakes then? The first thought that popped into my mind was Remus Lupin from the Harry Potter books. Ehrm, obviously not the case here. I did a little research on lupin Foods’ website and here’s what I found:

·      Lupins are part of the legume family and are mostly produced in Western Australia

·      Lupins are one of the best sources of vegan protein ON THE PLANET with 40g of protein per 100g dry flakes! (yes, I’m as shocked as you are)

·       If you’re looking to incorporate more fiber in your diet, look no more. Lupin flakes contain 37g of protein per 100g dry flakes. That’s almost 4 times the fiber content of whole wheat flour!

·      There’s no risk of Lupin poisoning when you’re consuming Lupin Flakes; the Australian Sweet Lupin contains only miniscule amounts of the toxic alkaloids found in the bitter varieties so no need to worry.

·      Is one of few vegan foods that contain all the 9 essential amino acids.

The packaging

Those are pretty amazing stats as far as I’m concerned and I really do look forward to using Lupin Flakes in more of my recipes!

This was my first attempt at a lupin recipe and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. These chickpea balls are crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and provide a wonderful, savoury contrast to the sweet potato fries. Plus, one serving  contains 18g of protein! I mostly stick to a low-protein diet as I don’t believe the overconsumption of protein, that is so common these days, does any good to our bodies. Still, it’s absolutely vital to get enough protein when you’re on a plant-based diet and these balls are the perfect way to do so.

Cheezy Chickpea Balls

2/3 cup chickpeas (canned, drained and rinsed)

2 tbsp Lupin flakes*

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tbsp almond milk

½ tsp psyllium husk

½ tsp dried oregano

Pinch of garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

*if you don’t have access to Lupin flakes, you could make the balls without them.

How to: 

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180C. Blend all ingredients with a hand blender and shape meatball-sized balls with your hands. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until they’re crisp and golden on the outside.

Easy-peasy Sweet Potato Fries

1 medium sized sweet potato

That’s it!

1. Pre-heat your oven to 170C. Cut your sweet potato into long strips and trim off any thin, sharp edges that might burn in the oven. Place the fries on a lined baking tray and bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes, turning them halfway through for an even bake.

Serve your fries and chickpea balls with lots of veggies and a yummy sauce to dip in if you wish!

Love, Tilda