Cedars-Sinai Blog
Brain Food: Brain-Building Chickpea Sandwich
Dec 15, 2016 Cedars-Sinai Staff
It's not one food or nutrient that keeps your brain healthy. It's the combination of many good foods that works. This is one of a series of simple and delicious brain food recipes designed to feed your head with brain-building nutrients.
Key ingredients and benefits:
- Chickpeas. Chickpeas are packed with magnesium, fiber, and protein. Magnesium speeds message transmission in your brain and helps relax blood vessels, allowing more blood to feed your brain.
- Tahini and Sunflower Seeds. Along with flavor, texture, and crunch, they provide vitamin E and polyunsaturated fats. These nutrients reduce inflammation and are crucial to brain structure and function, making this sandwich literal food for thought.
Ingredients:
Sandwich
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
¼ cup roasted, unsalted sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons vegan mayo (sub tahini for a more earthy, nutty flavor)
½ teaspoon dijon or spicy mustard
¼ cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
Pinch each salt and pepper
4 pieces rustic bread, lightly toasted
Sliced avocado, onion, tomato and lettuce for serving (optional)
Lemon Tahini Herb Sauce
¼ cup tahini
1 garlic clove, minced
½ lemon, juiced
¼ cup hot water to thin
2 tablespoons chopped dill
Salt to taste
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients for the lemon tahini herb sauce and chill ahead of time.
Add chickpeas to a mixing bowl and lightly mash with a fork for texture.
Add sunflower seeds, mayo, mustard, red onion, dill, salt and pepper to chickpeas and mix with a spoon. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Toast bread and prepare any other sandwich toppings you desire (tomato, onion, lettuce).
Scoop a healthy amount of filling onto two of the pieces of bread, add desired toppings and sauce, and top with other two slices of bread.