Chickpea Gyros

Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 20 min Total time: 30 min

Serves: 4

These roasted chickpea gyros are an easy vegetarian dinner, perfect for feeding the whole family on busy weeknights.You get all the deliciousness of classic gyros with a healthier, plant-based twist: roasted chickpeas, fresh veggies, and creamy tzatziki, all wrapped in pillowy-soft pitas.

And the best part? There’s no marinating required! This recipe has simple ingredients that still pack a punch, so you still get those big, bold flavors without much hassle at all.

Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are actually the most widely consumed legume in the world. Although they originated in the Middle East and are still a major dietary staple, the three top producing countries are India, Australia, and Pakistan.

Chickpeas are for more than just hummus! Roasted and ground chickpeas have been used as a caffeine-free coffee substitute, the liquid from chickpeas (called aquafaba) can be used for egg replacement (binder/thickener) in cooking, and for those who are dairy-free, garbanzo flour makes a great cheese replacement.

Chickpeas are an excellent source of iron, folate, phosphorus, protein, and dietary fiber. Their soluble fiber helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels as well as energy levels. They are great for promoting heart health. Their abundance of dietary fiber and folic acid helps lower blood concentrations of homocysteine, a compound known to damage artery walls. They are also full of a plant sterol called sitosterol, which mimics cholesterol in the body and with the high dietary fiber can help to naturally lower cholesterol levels. The magnesium they contain improves the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients throughout the body. They also contain vitamin B1, which converts sugar into usable energy and phosphorus, a component of ATP! ATP is the fuel molecule that powers your body’s cells.

Chickpeas are neutral in temperature and sweet in flavor. In TCM dietary therapy they nourish the Spleen, Stomach, and Heart qi. In general, beans are drying and work well as a diuretic. Many beans, including chickpeas, can be too drying for frail and deficient people, so adding a moistening element can help. In many cultures, they add tahini to chickpeas to add moistness (tahini is an oily sesame seed butter).

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 15-oz can chickpeas 425 g, 1 ½ cup soaked chickpeas if starting from dry, drained and rinsed

• 1 Tbsp olive oil 15 mL

• 1 Tbsp paprika*

• 1 tsp ground black pepper*

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper*

• ¼ tsp salt

• 4 pita flatbreads

• 1 cup tzatziki

• ¼ red onion cut into strips

• 2 lettuce leaves roughly chopped

• 1 tomato sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Pat dry chickpeas with paper towel, removing any skins that may come off. Gently toss chickpeas with oil, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt.

2. Roast: Spread chickpeas on a greased rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes until lightly browned but not hard.

3. Assemble: Spread some tzatziki onto one side of the pita, then sprinkle in ¼ of the chickpeas and add veggies. Fold in half and enjoy!

NOTES

*If you don't like spicy foods, halve the amount of paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Taste a chickpea before baking and adjust flavors as needed.

If your pita bread cracks when you fold it, cover the rest with a moist paper towel and microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Assemble your sandwiches immediately after microwaving.

photo and recipe credits to Live Eat Learn