More love from Tasting Table

We’ve already declared our love for The Good Bean, the company responsible for bringing the North African tradition of snacking on roasted chickpeas stateside. So we were happy to hear that they’ve expanded their line, with the Fruit & No-Nut Bar.

In staying true to the company’s roots, the bars are made of roasted chickpeas instead of nuts. And their bar shape makes them ideal for taking on the road or in the car. The treats come in three flavors: chocolate berry, apricot coconut, and fruit & seeds trail mix. In addition to giving conscious snackers another healthy option, all of their products are gluten free, nut free, and are packed high with fiber and protein.

Thanks guys!

Great review from Cookistry.com
“The interesting thing is that these bars taste like they have nuts in them. Or maybe it’s that the texture fools you. They’re a little chewy and a little crunchy with dried fruits and with chickpeas that mimic the nuts. I’d bet that if you gave them to someone to sample and didn’t tell them the ingredients, they’d guess that they were eating some kind of nut.”

Yay, glad you like them!

Read the full review

We’re collecting our favorite chickpea recipes from around the world on our recipe board at Pinterest.

Ideas such as …
– African curried coconut soup
– Socca, the bread from France made from chickpea flour
– Charred fresh green chickpeas
… and many more.

We update often, so be sure to check back soon – enjoy!

Quick update – as of May 2012 The Good Bean Fruit & No-Nut Bars are available in the following Whole Foods:

North Atlantic
Connecticut (Central Connecticut), Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island

Mid-Atlantic
Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey (Marlton and Princeton only), Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Washington D.C.

Midwest
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin

Southwest
Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma

Rocky Mountain
Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Utah

Northern California
Northern California, Northern Nevada

Southern Pacific
Southern California, Arizona, Southern Nevada, Hawaii

More love from Daily Candy who put us in their Best Snacks roundup (we’re 8th out of 75!)
http://dailycandy.com/everywhere/roundup/flash.jsp#/snack-happy/

A nice review on the Epicurious blog

“I have a husband who limits or avoids wheat, corn, nuts, and dairy from his diet. I have my own food sensitivities, mostly to soy (soy protein isolate, in particular) and uncooked egg yolks. [...] Sometimes eating by yourself just isn’t a lot of fun.

Well, we can now enjoy our snack bars together again, thanks to the gluten-free, nut-free Good Bean Fruit + No-Nut Bars. Currently, there are three varieties to try: Apricot Coconut, Fruit & Seeds Trail Mix, and Chocolate Berry. We both liked the Chocolate Berry the best thanks to the bright berry flavors. And while we’re both chocolate fiends, it wasn’t too chocolately, making us feel like it was still good for us. Good Bean Fruit + No Nut Bars use roasted chickpeas, roasted soy beans, and navy bean crisps to give the bars a nice density and bite. The fact that they’re natural sources of protein doesn’t escape me, either. And best of all, they’re not very sticky – something that would make any dentist happy. I realize that they don’t meet all of our dietary restrictions (there’s a little bit of dairy), but they’re a great new option for us, and for many others who may need to be much more diligent about avoiding nuts and gluten.”

Glad you like ‘em – thanks!

As of 2/14/12 The Good Bean Fruit & No-Nut Bar is available in the following Whole Foods stores. [Addresses here]

MID-ATLANTIC: North Wales, Reston, Tenley Town, Jenkintown, P Street, Pittsburgh

MIDWEST: Gold Coast, Naperville, Regency, Sauganash, Halsted

NORTH ATLANTIC: Hadley, Fresh Pond, Bedford, Framingham, Charles River Plaza, Swampscott, Dedham

ROCKY MOUNTAIN: Pikes Peak, Belmar, Southglenn, Washington Park, Overland Park

SOUTHERN PACIFIC: La Jolla, Santa Monica, Fort Apache, Thousand Oaks, Henderson, Pacific Coast Hwy, Jamboree, Arroyo, Venice, Laguna Beach, Long Beach

SOUTHWEST: Plano, Parkway, Kirby, Bellaire, Arabella Station, Lamar, Veterans, Forest, Lakewood, Little Rock, Tulsa, Fairview

NORTH CALIFORNIA: Coming soon … officially the end of Feb

The Oregonian’s blog give The Good Bean the thumbs up.

“What we’re loving: Garbanzo bean snacks
When it comes to afternoon snacks, there’s something satisfying about crunchy things. But if you regularly load up on peanuts or potato chips, you may see your waist grow. Which is why we’re excited about The Good Bean, a new crunchy snack made of roasted garbanzo beans”

The South Beach Diet is a great diet for taking off extra inches and keeping them off because it’s just *so* do-able. It touts a balanced combination of protein, good fats, and healthy carbs that are just the ticket for long-term weight wellness.

That said, Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet is pretty radical. Lots and lots of forbidden foods, and only one serving of nuts a day. But guess what – chickpeas are always on the menu!

With their low glycemic index and high fiber/protein combo, chickpeas say “no” to blood sugar spikes, and “yes” to energy. What’s even better? Roasted chickpeas are a great alternative to nuts, and when you’re on the South Beach Diet, you don’t have to restrict yourself to just one serving. That’s right, you can eat as much as you want! And because roasted chickpeas are so filling they’ll keep hunger at bay in those difficult first days of Phase 1.

A lovely review from top Mom-blogger In Sock Monkey Slippers

“The family and I sat down and dove into the entire Good Bean line to give the little roasted chickpeas a true test. The verdict… amazing! The roasted chickpeas are about the size of a pea and the texture is a little crunchy and unexpectedly soft in a good way. I was impressed at the natural ingredient list that I could pronounce and the packaging is perfect to throw in my purse or lunch box. The flavors were well balanced but one stood out as our absolute favorite, the Sweet Cinnamon.”

Thanks!