Jerk Chickpea Panini

The Jerk Chickpea Panini is the perfect way to transform ordinary, canned chickpeas into a new and exciting meal. For this quick and tasty panini, the chickpeas are quickly marinated in a sweet and spicy jerk marinade, piled onto gluten free bread, and pressed into a perfectly toasted panini overflowing with flavor. For even more Jerk inspired meals, try blackened jerk tofu.

Jerk Chickpea Panini
Gluten Free
Serves One
Click Here for Printable Recipe



Ingredients--
Marinade:
1/4 of a small jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, finely minced
Juice & Zest of 1/2 of a small lime
1/2 teaspoon grapeseed oil (or substitute with canola oil)
1.5 teaspoons gluten free soy sauce
1 teaspoon double concentrated tomato paste (normally found in a squeeze tube by the pasta/ tomato sauce in grocery stores, I used  Amore)
1.5 teaspoon granulated Truvia
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
dash of salt & pepper
dash of cloves
Panini
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, drained
1 tablespoon red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
2 slices light gluten free sandwich bread (like the kind by Ener-G)

1. In small bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients until combined.



2. Add chickpeas to marinade and stir until they are evenly coated in marinade.



3.  Let chickpeas marinade at room temperature for 30-35 minutes.



4.  After chickpeas have marinated, preheat a panini press* to medium heat. Cover bowl with chickpea mixture and microwave for 30-45 seconds, or until chickpeas have softened. Use a fork or potato masher to mash mixture until chickpeas are coarsely chopped and incorporated into marinade.





5. Add bell pepper and parsley to chickpea mixture. Stir until combined.





6. Scoop chickpeas mixture on one bread slice and press down gently on filling to help pack it onto bread (the sandwich may overflow a little but that’s perfectly fine). Top with remaining bread slice to form a sandwich.



7. Spray outside of panini with olive oil spray , then place on panini press and close the lid. Press sandwich for 3-4 minutes, or until it is beginning to crisp on the bottom, then use a spatula to flip sandwich (even though the panini press cooks both sides at once, I still prefer to flip the sandwich since the bottom always seems to cook faster). Close the panini press lid and continue to cook sandwich 2-3 minutes more or until golden and beginning to crisp on both sides.



8. Remove panini from press and place on serving plate. Cut in half diagonally and enjoy!




Nutrition Information--approximately 255 calories per panini



* If you don’t have a panini press, just cook the sandwich over medium heat in a small skillet similar to a grilled cheese sandwich, pressing down on sandwich with a spatula as you cook it.