I love Banza chickpea pasta for so many reasons but I REALLY love it when I’m feeling a little lazy and don’t really feel like cooking meat but still want to get some good protein in. What’s the deal with Banza?

It’s a pasta made from chickpeas so not only is it gluten free, it’s also substantially higher in protein and fiber and lower in carbs than regular pasta. See how the two match up:

As you can see, regular pasta and Banza pasta have nearly the same calories but the big difference can be seen in the net carbs (39 grams vs 24 grams respectively) and the Protein (7 grams versus 14 grams respectively)

That’s a big difference!

To make this simple dish, I just boiled some Banza shells and added some broccoli (which I had roasted earlier in garlic and a little olive oil). Finished it off with a small handful of shredded mozzarella which melted and I had myself a perfect dinner that only felt indulgent.

As always, I topped the dish with a generous helping of parmesan and some red chili flakes!

Have some over-ripe bananas? Here’s the perfect recipe to try. I experimented with this recipe alot before posting it and I finally found a really nice combination of ingredients that made this guilt-free enough to share with clients without sacrificing taste.

The oats and the wheat bran  in this recipe bulk the bread up and make it perfect for a slight sweet breakfast (paired with protein, of course!) as well as an after dinner treat.

Keep in mind that as bananas ripen, they emit ethylene gas which can start to give the bread a funky taste after a few days. If you’re not sharing this with friends or family, my solution is to cut my bread into individual slices, wrap them in tin foil and freeze everything them. That way, I can unfreeze an individual slice the day that I want to eat it. I love doing this because it’s always nice to have something sweet on hand when I need a little something!

Banza Chickpea Pasta with Broccoli

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 6 tbs8 oz Box of Banza Chickpea Pasta Shells

• 2 Cups Broccoli Florets

• 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth

• 1/2 cup (2 oz) Part Skim Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

• 3 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese

• Sprinkle of Red Chili Flakes

Directions:

1. Cook Banza according to package directions.

2. While Banza is cooking, heat nonstick pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 tbsp olive oil and minced garlic. Allow garlic to brown and then add in broccoli.

3. Once broccoli begins to cook, add in chicken broth and stir. Once broccoli is at desired consistency, remove it from heat.

4. Once Banza has finished cooking, add broccoli to the pot with the mozzarella cheese, parmesan and chili flakes. Stir to combine and allow cheese to melt.

5. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per 1 serving, ~2 cups cooked): 280 Calories, 9 g Fat, 36 g Carbohydrate, 9 g Fiber, 20 g Protein