Eating this scrumptious treat made me feel really fancy.
Fancy like I was at a cocktail party where people dress up in slinky dresses and suits, drink expensive liquors and wines in all the appropriate glasses and mill around discussing the latest political scandal or economic situation. Where there is undoubtedly trays of delicate bite-sized morsels being circulated among the crowd by waiters dressed in silly catering outfits. I imagine these would be happily at home on one of those trays.
And as I was eating these, feeling all fancy and grown-up like and in a gloriously good mood because of it, I had a startling realization- I AM a grown-up.
Should I be eating things like this on a regular basis? Why am I not attending more cocktail parties? When was the last time I wore a dress?
When exactly did I forget I was all grown-up?
Oh life crises.
All in a days work over here.
Oh well, at least I have these delicious bites to savour and just maybe help me forget I’m supposed to be an adult just a little while longer ;)
While these remind me of appetizers found at cocktail parties, I assure you, these are much healthier than the traditional fare! The “bread” is made with almonds and chickpea flour, loading them with fiber, protein and healthy fats and the pesto packs a superfood punch with kale, lemon, garlic, walnuts and hemp oil. But don’t worry, taste was not sacrificed! The flatbread is deliciously spiced with garlic and herbs and the pesto is extremely flavourful thanks to basil, lemon and garlic. These are delicious served warm or cold and make a great snack or accompaniment to a meal. This recipe makes more pesto than you need so use leftovers as a dip, spread or sauce for your favourite grain or protein!
Savoury Chickpea Flatbreads with Kale Basil Pesto (Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free)
Ingredients (9 squares)
Flatbread
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1/4 cup almond meal
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp rosemary
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Pesto
- 1 1/2 cup kale, torn into shreds
- 1 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp hemp oil (or more olive oil)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Grease a 9×9 square baking pan and pour in the batter. Bake at 400F for 23 min. Allow to cool in the pan.
Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.
Cut the flatbread into 9 squares and top with 1 1/2 tsp of the pesto. Serve warm or cold!
Save leftover pesto for a dip, spread or to top your favourite grain or protein!
I'm sharing this on Allergy-Free Wednesday and Nourishing Recipes @ Lifeologia!
I have been on such a pesto kick lately! Anything you are all obsessed with at the moment?
What’s your favourite pesto combination? How do you serve it?
Have a lovely Tuesday!
One Year Ago: Hemp Seed Fudge Bites
I’m not so good with substitutions yet. I can’t use the almond flour due to a nut allergy in the family. Can anyone suggest a good substitute for it? I’d love to try this!
Try ground sunflower seeds! Or I’m sure even extra chickpea flour would be fine!
i just saw this on AFW.. those flatbreads are a brilliant idea with the almond flour in it.. fancy appetiziers indeed!
Thank you Richa!!
What a creative flatbread! And that Kale pesto has to be fabulous! I’m wondering if it tastes like socca because of the chickpea flour. I adore the combo of rosemary and garlic too. This is gong on the list!!
It does taste like socca! I think the herbs and the almonds switch it up a little though and make take it up a notch. I really hope you like it my dear!
Sharing this gorgeous recipe tonight lovely lady. :-)
Hugs,
-Amber
Thank you Amber, you are just the sweetest! I’ll submit something soon :)
Now you’ve got me thinking… I still have a ton of green pea flour, and I’d love to try substituting that for the chickpea flour here. It would be great to work through some of my stash and end up with something so delicious!
Oh you could totally sub that! I actually have some yellow pea flour, now I want to try!
I just made this twice in one weekend! Sooo delicious and easy, and a little different than my everyday fare. Great recipe.
Awesome Megan, I’m so glad you liked it! I did the same thing when I first made it :)
wow Gabby what a gorgeous dish! the color of that pesto is so vibrant and rich! love it!!!
Thank you Carolyn! I love when food is super green- it just screams nourishing!
Hi Gabby! I’ve just discovered your wonderful blog thanks to Sandy @ Vegans Eat Yummy Food Too. All your food looks absolutely delicious & I can’t wait to try out some of your recipes (including this one!)
The Healthy Vegan Friday blog hop looks awesome. A complete feast for the eyes (and for the belly!) It’s so great to know that every recipe is vegan. There’s so many I already want to try! I post family-friendly vegan recipes over at http://www.bitofthegoodstuff.com. I’d love to join in the HVF blog hop some time :)
Thank you so much Sharon! You are so sweet and I’m so glad you like my recipes!
I really hope you do join HVF soon! Your blog looks wonderful and I know you would make awesome contributions! Thanks for stopping by :)
I love that you call it ‘grown-up food’! Chickpea flatbread sounds phenomenal. I don’t think I have time to change my plans now as I went shopping yesterday, but if I had seen this earlier I would totally have served it at my Oscars party this weekend!
I never even thought about this as potential Oscar fare! Well I’m sure what you had was delicious too :) I hope you get to try it in the future though, because it’s one of my favourite things that I’ve ever made!
Very dignified, indeed :)
And pretty, healthy, and yummy looking! I like the ingredients in your pesto. I haven’t tried making pesto with kale, but I’m sure it’s delicious. And how could I not love the flat bread?
It’s so tasty Nikki, you must try it! I’ve even made recipes before that just used kale with no herbs and those are awesome too!
Chickpea flatbreads are my new obsession! Hope you like them!
YUM! Being a “grown up” is WAAAAAY over-rated in my opinion ;)
Hahaha ok good, because being young at heart is wayyyy more fun ;)
Wow Gabby, this looks so interesting! I like how you’ve used walnuts instead of pine nuts in the pesto and the addition of the kale sounds super healthy :)
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Nat! Pine nuts aren’t quite in my budget, but I mean with so many other nutritious nuts as options, it’s no big deal! Might as well max out the nutrition in our food right? ;)
Hilarious Gabby! I think sometimes we forget that we’re grown ups. We have too much fun “playing” with our food in the kitchen. It’s nice that a sophisticated dish like this can be so healthy too! xx
Yes exactly! Why is it always that grown up food is the most decadent and bad for us? It’s just like kid food in that sense! Party food should not have to be unhealthy, but it always seems to be save for a sad little veggie plate. I think we should change that ;)
Hi Gabby,
This is my kinda food here lady. Simple with lots of flavor. I love your flatbread recipe with the added almond flour in there. And your pesto…delish.
And me? Well, I am obsessed with hemp right now and I’ve been making cherry hemp smoothies every morning. Hmm, maybe I’ll share that recipe. Anyway, pinning this post for later. Thanks for the lovely recipes. :-)
Thank you so much Amber!
Ooh a cherry hemp smoothie sounds divine! I love hemp seeds :)
What a beautiful dish Gabby!! I love that you had an a-ha, I’m a grownup moment :) I haven’t really had many of those. I’m pushing 30 here and don’t feel like a grownup (or “real person” as I like to say) but maybe cocktail parties and fancy noshes are the way to go ;) Anyway, really great looking dish and a perfect use for chickpea flour! The kale pesto sounds so good too!
I think being grown up is overrated, we have our whole lives to feel that way right??
Eating food like this is about as close as I’ll get I think, but that’s ok ;) I love how fancy I feel when I eat it!
Yum they look really delicious!
Going old in part of life – but growing up is optional ;-)
Hahah that is an amazing perspective :)
Ooooh this looks so fun!!!! I love that it is gluten-free and has no scary sounding ingredients =)
Haha… right, being a grown up. You’re only as old as you feel right??
It’s scary how many bad ingredients are in gluten-free products eh? And people buy them thinking they are healthy!
And absolutely, I have my whole life to be grown up, I’ll enjoy being young just a little longer ;)
Ha! I am 30 and I sometimes don’t feel like I am a Grown Up :), I guess that isn’t a bad thing….these certainly would be an awesome addition to a cocktail party!
We have our whole lives ahead of us to feel like grown ups right? Might as well enjoy being young and foolish as long as possible ;)
omg-I’m all over that. Sounds amazing.
Can’t wait to make.
Thank you-
Thanks Debbie, I hope you like them!
Hey, grownup ;-)! A totally awesome and healthy combination. Danger is snarfing them all down at one sitting!
Oh it’s hard not to do believe me! I think what saved me is all the protein and fibre in them from the chickpeas, they are sooo filling!
Chickpea flatbreads are one of my most favorite, super-easy meals. And pesto is the perfect topping!
I love having “Look how grown-up I’m being” moments. I don’t have them all that often, but when I do, it’s an experience I savor! :-)
Oh neither do I Kristy, which is probably why I forget I’m an adult all the time!
Ha! This made me lol. I always have those “this is what grown ups do/wait a sec, i AM a grown up” moments. Also, this sounds like a perfect dish to serve while watching the Oscars this weekend! Pinning it.
Haha thanks Raechel! It’s scary sometimes isn’t it? Ah we’ll, age is only a number!
Hope you like these!
I love the chickpea idea! These look super great. I want to make these for dinner this week.
Thanks Alaine! You’ll have to let me know how you like them!
Oh my goodness this sounds so good! I’m always on the lookout for recipes with chickpea flour. So fancy:)
Haha thanks Sunnie! Chickpea flour is my new obsession!
Brilliant Chickpea Idea!!!!!
Thank you!