Crunchy onion rings and sweet chilli sauce get a low-calorie makeover in this healthy snack recipe, which uses chickpea flour and a selection of fragrant spices to coat the onion rings.
Ever cooked with chickpea flour before? I find it really easy to use and it’s a more nutritious option than many other flours because it’s richer in protein, fibre and iron amongst many other essential nutrients. Also called gram flour, it’s naturally gluten-free and is only made from ground-up chickpeas. So you could probably make it yourself at home if you have a powerful blender!
Although nut-free, it has a subtle creamy nut flavour and is incredibly versatile. I love making chickpea pancakes and it lends itself very well to these Eat Yourself Fit (€19.99) healthy baked onion rings. All the flavour and crunch without the deep-fried part!
Chickpea flour isn’t that easy to find in regular shops and supermarkets, but it can be ordered online and it isn’t too expensive. I usually buy this Infinity Organic brand (€4.75 for 500g).
These onion rings are always a big hit with my family and friends and make the perfect pairing for this sugar-free sweet chilli sauce. They’re an easy snack to whip up when you fancy something tasty but waistline-friendly, and the sauce works really well on burgers and salads or as a dip for sweet potato wedges.
Enjoy, friends!
Let me know if you give these Crispy Baked Onion Rings with a Sweet Chilli Sauce a go and I love to see all your creations on social media! Simply tag #RosannaDavisonNutrition on Instagram or Twitter or come on over to my Facebook to say hello 🙂
- coconut oil, to grease
- 4 medium red or brown onions, peeled and cut into slices
- 125ml water
- 120g chickpea flour (gram flour)
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 6 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 red bell peppers, cored, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
- 1 tsp fresh root ginger, chopped
- 4 dates, pitted and chopped or 1 tbsp pure maple syrup or honey
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled
- pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Preheat the oven to 200C and lightly grease 2 large baking trays with coconut oil or lay down a sheet of greaseproof paper.
- Mix the water and 30 g chickpea flour in one bowl, then in a separate bowl mix 90g chickpea flour with the rest of the ingredients.
- Submerge the onion rings in the water and flour mixture, then coat them well in the other mixture.
- Lay them out on the baking tray and bake them for 20 -25 minutes, until golden-brown and crisp.
- Place all the ingredients for the sweet chilli sauce into a blender or food processor and blend on high-speed for 30-40 seconds, until smooth.
- Serve the onion rings with the sweet chilli sauce.
- Any leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for 4-5 days.