A Vegan’s Ode To The Chickpea

I have very few brilliant ideas of my own and must admit that this one—a poem about chickpeas—was inspired by some friends on twitter—ReluctantVeggie and LeafyV. You can find links to their work and words of wisdom at the end of this post. But first..my ode to everyone’s favorite bean.

If you’ve been to a vegan pot luck
Where everyone brings a dish
You’ve tasted six kinds of hummus
Thank goodness it’s so delish.

It’s tasty because it has chickpeas
A very delectable bean
But hummus is just for starters
‘Cuz chickpeas are worldly cuisine.

In Milan they call them ceci,
They eat them with rigatoni
They’re classic Italian food
As famous as macaroni.

When you pair them up with pasta
You get a protein that’s complete.
Oops, what the heck am I saying?
That theory has met with defeat!

If you’re traveling down Mexico way
And the foods are all topped with cheese
Say “quiero garbanzos por favor”
(That means “I want some chickpeas, please.”)

In India they’re made into flour
For fritters and tasty flat bread
But if you prefer plain old chickpeas
You can have them in curry instead.

Chickpeas have great healthy nutrients
Like potassium and calcium, at least
They’re an excellent source of B12
(Well—if you eat them with nutritional yeast)

You may think that you love chickpeas
You’re convinced you’re their biggest fan
But I’ve got you beat by a mile
I eat them right outta the can.

I’m happy that I’m a vegan
I do it for the animals’ sake
I couldn’t be mean to a chicken
I like cows too much to eat steak

So, you can have your eggs and pork chops
You can have your heart disease
I’m choosing ethical eating
It’s easy—‘cuz I’ve got chickpeas.

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Some chickpea resources:

The poem that started it all from The Reluctant Vegetarian
Follow her on twitter at www.twitter.com/reluctantveggie

Chickpea recipes from Leafy
Follow her at www.twitter.com/LeafyV

Chickpea recipes on my examiner site