One of my New Year’s resolutions is to try to eat produce that is in season as much as possible. Another one is to reduce my intake of meat and eat plant-based protein 2 to 3 meals a week.
I have learned on a health podcast that chickpeas are one of the most underrated beans (since they are so filling) and they discussed a few ways you can replace meat with chickpeas. You can make anything from chickpea burgers, chickpea meatballs and even chickpea meatloaf. When the podcast mentioned gyros, I realized how long it had been since I had one and how damn good they were. So I decided to put my recipe for roasted chickpeas to good use. I figured with the right seasoning…you can forget that you are not even eating meat. Well, not really but it’s still damn good. You’ll see!
INGREDIENTS:
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1 can of chickpeas
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1 tbsp of smoked paprika
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1 tbsp of Mexican chilli powder
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1 tsp of fresh cracked pepper
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1/4 tsp of salt
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1/4 tsp of garlic powder
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1 tbsp of olive oil
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4 pieces pita bread
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1/2 red onion, sliced
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lettuce
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1 tomato, sliced
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tzatziki
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400F, pat dry the chickpeas after rinsing. In a large bowl, toss chickpeas in oil and seasoning until well coated.
Spread chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes until they are starting to brown. It is important to note that we are not roasting them so that they dry out, we still want them to have some bite to them.
Once the chickpeas are out of the oven and slightly cooled, you are ready to assemble the gyros. Spread some tzatziki on one half of the pita and then add a few spoonfuls of the roasted chickpeas. Add a few slices of tomatoes and garnish with the red onion. Fold up and eat!
Christopher is a food and lifestyle expert, recipe developer and the content creator behind May Eighty Five. With over 6 years of creating recipes for your favourite food brands, he also shares tips, tricks and how to’s that he has learnt over the years. Every week, he shares quick, simple and mostly healthy recipes along with some home and entertaining tips. You will find flavorful cocktails, delicious appetizers, tasty mains and some indulgent desserts.