Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chickpeas

Health Highlights

Chickpeas make an easy vegetarian dinner and taste like your favorite take-out. A great source of plant based protein, the prep work is a breeze!

Ingredients

1/2 medium	Red onion (chopped)
1 medium pepper(s)	Red bell pepper (chopped))
2 can (15oz)	Chickpeas, canned, low sodium (rinsed and drained (Or you can cook from dried))
1/4 cup	Tamari, gluten free, reduced sodium
2 tbsp	Balsamic vinegar ((the more syrupy, the better))
2 tbsp	Maple syrup
1/2 tsp	Garlic powder ((or 2 minced garlic cloves))
1/2 tsp	Ginger, ground ((or 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger)))
1 tsp	Red pepper flakes
1 tsp	Sesame oil (toasted)
3 stalk(s)	Green onion (chopped)
1 tbsp	Sesame seeds (for garnish)
454 gm	White rice, long-grain, dry (Cooked (or cauliflower rice))

Add the red onion, bell pepper, and chickpeas into the bowl of your slow cooker.
In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil. Pour the sauce into the slow cooker and stir well.
Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook for 3 hours on high heat, or 6 hours on low heat. If you need to cook it longer due to your schedule, I'd recommend adding 2-4 tablespoons of water to the mixture to help prevent the sauce from over-cooking. (If you have a super-nice slow cooker, it might also give you the option to have the cooker start cooking later in the day on a timer.)
Once the cooking is done, give the chickpeas a stir and serve them warm over a bed of white rice (or cauliflower rice) with a sprinkling of green onions and sesame seeds on top.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Calories 446

Calories from fat 46

Calories from saturated fat 6.8

Total Fat 5.1 g

Saturated Fat 0.8 g

Trans Fat 0

Polyunsaturated Fat 2.2 g

Monounsaturated Fat 1.4 g

Cholesterol 0

Sodium 658 mg

Potassium 453 mg

Total Carbohydrate 89 g

Dietary Fiber 8.5 g

Sugars 10.0 g

Protein 14.7 g