Prepare Today Homemade- Chickpea Nuggets

This is a recipe re-post from 2011 and it is still one of my favorite ways to use Garbanzo beans!! Enjoy!

I know that title sounds a little weird, but go with me on this one!  They are really good!  For those that don't know I am a vegetarian and I am always looking for more ways to incorporate beans into my family's diet.  This recipe made great "chicken" nuggets for my kids and a great salad topper for me.  You have to try the honey mustard dipping sauce (or as a salad dressing, yummmmmy!!), from a previous post HERE, with your nuggets!  We have been dipping everything in this sauce, from these nuggets to sweet potato fries, and as a salad dressing.  (my next experiment is to make it with yogurt to try to cut the fat out)

Chickpea Nuggets 

(from blog.superhealthykids.com)  Makes 15-18 nuggets depending on how large you make them

1 can chickpea (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained
1/2 onion
1 t parsley
1 clove garlic
1 egg
1 t cumin
1 t salt
dash pepper
1 t lemon juice
1 t baking powder
1 C bread crumbs
1 T oil
To be honest I threw it all in a food processor and gave it a whirl until it was smooth.  (my kids won't eat chunks of onion so it had to be pretty smooth)  

There are two ways to bake these:
Stove top:  heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan.  Shape the "dough" into nuggets shapes and pan fry until golden brown on each side. We cooked them this way and loved them!

Oven method:  Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes, turning over half way through the baking time. I would have baked them this way, but my oven isn't working right now.  :)

My older kids ate them up, but my 3yo (being totally truthful here) gagged on them :D  She does not like the texture of beans and so I guess this was too much for her.  I whipped up a salad using greens from my garden, some craisins,strawberries, the honey mustard sauce, and the chickpea nuggets on top.  My kids asked for this two nights in a row for dinner!