Fresh Garbanzo Beans

I took an extra day off of work this week to extend the Memorial Day weekend which meant that I had plenty of time to stroll through the Farmer's Market across the street from my house (I know, I know - lucky me!).  I'm always on the lookout for seasonal goodies and new variations of produce.  So, I was shocked to see my husband point out fresh garbanzo beans while I was elbow deep in rainer cherries.

I am a HUGE fan of garbanzo beans, but I've never actually seen them outside of the can or salad bar.  I would never have even noticed them if Hunter hadn't pointed them out.  Typically I stock up on cans like the one below.  I give the contents a quick rinse in a strainer to get rid of the excess sodium and throw them into all kinds of dishes.

After watching years of Food Network competitions I knew that canned garbanzo beans were a culinary faux pas, but I cut myself some slack since I'd never run across the real deal. So, needless to say I was giddy when I got my beans home from the market and faced the perplexing task of how to prepare them.  They were perfect after steaming them in their shells and tossing with lime and creole seasoning.  Eat them as you would edamame, sucking the bean out and throwing away the pod.  They would be wonderful roasted, which I will try next.  The farmer who sold them to me warned me never to boil garbanzo beans.  I'm not sure what happens, but I thought I'd pass along the warning. 
 
Garbanzo beans have long been valued for their fiber content. Two cups provide the entire Daily Value! But the research news on garbanzos and fiber has recently taken us one step further by suggesting that the fiber benefits of garbanzo beans may go beyond the fiber benefits of other foods. In a recent study, two groups of participants received about 28 grams of fiber per day. But the two groups were very different in terms of their food sources for fiber. One group received dietary fiber primarily from garbanzo beans. The other group obtained dietary fiber from entirely different sources. The garbanzo bean group had better blood fat regulation, including lower levels of LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.  The participants in the study also reported more satisfaction with their diet when garbanzo beans were included, and they consumed fewer processed food snacks during test weeks in the study when garbanzo beans were consumed. They also consumed less food overall when the diet was supplemented with garbanzo beans.

Go check out your Farmer's Market today!  Garbanzo Beans are in season in California April through October.  They make an excellent snack eaten raw straight from the shell.