This post goes out to my patient gal pal Hive account@puravidaville. We chatted a little ways back about how awesome chickpea fries are, but then I slacked off and didn't get a chance to post my experience making them! Well, I suppose it all worked out because I have not one, but two recipes utilizing chickpea (aka garbanzo bean) flour. Not only am I serving up some fries (are they still called fries when you bake them?), but also some crackers. Both are vegan, gluten-free, and packed with plant-based fiber and protein! How's that for a nutritional smackdown?

I adore chickpeas in their whole form, but have also really started enjoying experimenting with the flour. The flour is also known as gram flour or besan, and it is quite popular in Indian cooking. I'm only just scratching the surface of all the different ways you can use it, but I'm very much looking forward to diving in to explore it some more! I also used another great gluten-free flour option in the crackers--quinoa flour. This one is really new to my kitchen, as well, but it is fun to play around with the little pseudo-grain powerhouse in a different form just like the chickpeas. Both are great ways to turn two items (fries and crackers) that are normally pretty unhealthy into something you don't have to have any guilt enjoying.

I'll start out with the chickpea fries since those are the ones I hyped up in my comments. I have wanted to try making these ever since trying some at a local restaurant (Marlow's Tavern). Of course theirs are a bit decadent as is most restaurant fare, so I wanted to see if they would still come out well at home. Most of the recipes I perused online for inspiration all fried them in at least some oil, but I opted to make them even healthier and baked them instead. Luckily the ingredients are pretty inexpensive, so I figured at worst I'd have to start over from scratch and try again. To my delight, they baked off just fine! Just as delicious as I hoped, and so simple to make. You just need to start the batter a bit early to let it set, as I failed to do the first night I wanted to make them. No matter, they were well worth the wait.

Baked Chickpea Fries

Makes 16 fries

2 cups water
1 1/3 cup chickpea flour
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon of your favorite seasoning (I used a Turkish blend this time)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional)

Lightly oil an 8-inch by 8-inch casserole dish. Bring the water just to a boil, then remove from heat and whisk in the remainder of the ingredients. Poor out into the prepared dish and spread out evenly with a spoon. Place in the refrigerator to set for about 4 hours or overnight.

Once your batter has set (similar in texture to polenta), flip it out onto a cutting board and slice into 16 even fries. Line a baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper and spread out your fries to bake. Place into a pre-heated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven.

Cook for 20 minutes on the first side, then carefully flip and bake for an additional 20 minutes. They should puff up just a bit with a slightly crispy exterior and soft interior. Let cool slightly then enjoy! I made a bit of a spicy ketchup with some chipotle chilis for this batch, but I can see so many sauces being good depending upon which herbs and spices you use in the fries!

On to the crackers! The nutritional yeast in these gives them a nice cheesy flavor without the dairy. Just as with the fries, feel free to play around with the herbs and spices you add in for a different flavor combination every time!

Chickpea & Quinoa Flour Cheesy Vegan Crackers

Makes about 24 crackers

1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup hemp hearts
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon dried dill (or other herb you enjoy)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together the dry ingredients, then stir in the water. You want a sticky batter that's not too runny. Spread out your batter onto the baking sheet as thin as you can get it without any holes in the batter. Try to keep an even square or rectangle so it is easier to cut into roughly the same size crackers.

Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cut into squares so it is easier to pull apart once finished. Place back into the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Once they are starting to brown around the edges, turn off the heat but leave the crackers in the oven for 30 minutes to an hour to continue to dry out and get crispy as the oven cools.