These Vegan Cheese Puffs Taste So Good, I Can't Believe They're Made With Chickpeas
I would be lying if I said that when I went vegan I didn't miss some indulgent foods like pizza, flourless chocolate cakes, and cheese. Though it was good for my physical health, the snack addict in me still craved the occasional salty, crunchy, cheesy satisfaction that potato chips alone couldn't satisfy.
Luckily, since I first went vegan seven years ago, a plethora of healthy snack brands have stepped in to fill the munchies void. While some leave a lot to be desired in taste, I've become a loyal lover of one snack in particular—Hippeas Organic Chickpea Puffs ($3, Amazon). Here's why these have been a pantry staple of mine for years:
They don't taste healthy.
Ok, so it's not like eating a bag of these is the nutritional equivalent to eating some veggies and hummus, but they're definitely lower in fat and sodium than those cheese puffs your kindergarten teacher used to stock in a gallon-sized jar for snack time.
FWIW, these chickpea puffs in the "Nacho Cheese" flavor actually do taste like the cheese puffs I used to eat as a kid. They provide the same salty, cheesy, crunchy satisfaction with just a bit more of a dense texture and less of that neon orange hue. The best part? You won't be left with stained hands afterward.
They're satisfying.
If you're anything like me, you can easily sit in front of a movie and passively eat an entire family-sized bag of kettle corn without really feeling full. When I eat Hippeas, I actually feel totally satisfied—mentally and physically.
These stave off my fried food cravings while actually filling my belly after one small bag (likely due to chickpea and rice flour being the top two ingredients). Sometimes, even just a small handful of puffs are enough to carry me through the time between lunch and dinner.
Everyone loves them.
I shared these with my meat and cheese-loving friends back in college and though some were definitely reluctant and suspicious of what a bean-based snack could taste like, each of them came back for seconds. I turned a few in to full-blown loyal converts, too.
I personally love the cheese flavor most, but their "bohemian barbecue" got some major love amongst my friend circle, too.
They're budget-friendly.
Packaged snacks that boast organic, clean ingredients often come with a hefty price tag, but at $3 per bag, staying stocked on these throughout the years never put a dent in my wallet—even through my broke grad student phase. They'll probably be a pantry staple of mine for years to come.
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