One of my Hubbz favorite Chinese takeout meals is sweet and sour chicken. I on the other hand am tired of ordering takeout because I can only get the same shit all the time— Tofu and Broccoli. Don’t get me wrong I love it, but I’m tired of it. I can be simple but when it comes to my food, I get bored. I need options. I need something more than just tofu and broccoli.
So I decided this week I will be doing Asian inspired recipes {especially ones I’d want to order for myself if I was ordering vegan Chinese takeout}. I’m starting this weekly recipe adventure with Sweet & a Sour Chickpeas with sweet bell peppers, broccoli and a little kick of heat by adding in some cayenne pepper.
Preparing the Sweet & Sour Sauce:
Start making the sweet and sour sauce. In a small bowl add the coconut sugar, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, natural ketchup, liquid aminos, garlic powder and spring water.
Mix all the ingredients and set aside until ready to use.
To thicken the sauce, add 2 tablespoons spring water and 2 teaspoons of corn starch to a small dish, mix and set aside for use later.
Preparing the Vegetables:
First, add the olive oil to a hot skillet over medium heat. Then, add in your minced garlic and cook for 3 minutes.
Then, add in your thinly sliced red and green bell peppers. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Then, add in the chopped broccoli cook another 3 minutes.
Then add in the drained and rinsed Chickpeas, Sweet and Sour Sauce, cornstarch and water, green onions, pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper. Cook another 10 minutes covered.
Remove from heat and stir everything together. The sauce should be thick enough. Add more sea salt if needed.
You could also add in some chopped pineapples to sweeten it up and add some color. Divide between bowls and serve. Enjoy!

Prep Time | 10 minutes |
Cook Time | 25 minutes |
Servings |
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- ¼ cup Coconut Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons Ketchup
- 2 teaspoons Liquid Aminos
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 tablespoons Spring Water
- 2 teaspoons Cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 Cloves Garlic minced
- ½ Red Bell Pepper finely sliced
- ½ Green Bell Pepper finely sliced
- 1 cup Broccoli chopped
- 1 can Chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons Green Onions chopped
- Sea Salt to taste
- Ground Black Pepper to taste
- Cayenne Pepper to taste {optional}
Ingredients
For the Sweet & Sour Sauce:
For the Vegetables:
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- Start making the sweet and sour sauce. In a small bowl add the coconut sugar, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, natural ketchup, liquid aminos, garlic powder and spring water.
- Mix all the ingredients and set aside until ready to use. To thicken the sauce, add 2 tablespoons spring water and 2 teaspoons of corn starch to a small dish, mix and set aside for use later.
- First, add the olive oil to a hot skillet over medium heat. Then, add in your minced garlic and cook for 3 minutes.
- Then, add in your thinly sliced red and green bell peppers. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Then, add in the chopped broccoli cook another 3 minutes.
- Then add in the drained and rinsed Chickpeas, Sweet and Sour Sauce, cornstarch and water, green onions, pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper. Cook another 10 minutes covered.
- Remove from heat and stir everything together. The sauce should be thick enough. Add more sea salt if needed.
- You could also add in some chopped pineapples to sweeten it up and add some color. Divide between bowls and serve. Enjoy!
Did you attempt this recipe? Please let me know how you liked it {or not} by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #mamawentveganrecipes or @mamawentvegan. I love to hear your feedback and see your creations!
The sauce was great! I made a double batch and if I made it again, I’d put another cup of broccoli and less chickpeas. Nice flavour, though!
Thanks so much! So happy you liked it! Yeah that’s understandable, my littlest just loves Chickpeas and always eats mine as well as his own. So, I have to go a little overboard with them in order to have some for myself!