Let me introduce you to Jimmy. He’s a general contractor (specializing in green construction!), licensed realtor, certified personal trainer, and part owner and founder of 2Armadillos chickpea snack company. That’s a lot of hats to wear (coming from someone who is a many-hat wearer)!
he’s pretty excited about chickpeas.
2Armadillos chickpeas make an awesome snack – they’re virtually allergen-free, vegan, but still crunchy and tasty. The two original flavors, rosemary and cayenne, are big hits with everyone I’ve shared samples with, and Jimmy tells me they have tomato basil and cinnamon in the works.
Chickpeas are mostly protein and fiber, the nutrient combo I recommend for snacks all day long (literally…today I did a 6 hour coaching shift!), and the guys (co-owner Greg got the idea when he needed healthy snacks to get through long study sessions in med school) have a product that is really, simply, deliciously awesome.
After popping lots of chickpeas, I wondered what else you could do with them, and got a few ideas I’ll be blogging in the coming weeks. The first inspiration was to grind them up (they’re dry, so in a blender become the texture and size of breadcrumbs) and use them as a breading for chicken tenders. This works even better than I expected, and because they’re already seasoned, the process is one step shorter. Look for 2Armadillos at these retailers in DC, or order some right online!
Give 2Armadillos some love – they want to expand and have just launched a Kickstarter campaign! Check out what they have to say about their dream, support a local, healthy business, and learn perfect technique for synchronized chickpea tossing.
Chickpea breaded tenders
Ingredients:
- 1 c 2Armadillos Chickpeas (I used half rosemary, half cayenne)
- 8 chicken tenders
- 1 egg
- salt & pepper
Directions:
Pat dry chicken tenders and season lightly with salt and pepper. Grind chickpeas in a blender or food processor. Using a shallow bowl or plate, crack and scramble the egg. Put chickpea crumbs into an adjacent shallow bowl, and dip tenders in the egg then crumbs one at a time, transferring to a baking sheet (sprayed, lined, or with a silicon sheet to prevent sticking). Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes, flipping over once, or until internal temperature reaches 160F.
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