Whole Wheat Shells with Chickpeas and Arugula 11 June 08

Yes ladies and gentleman..ANOTHER chickpea recipe. No, really. My real intent for posting this recipe today though is that my arugula is here!! It’s that time of year and this peppery green makes for a fantastic salad.

Whole Wheat Shells with Chickpeas and Arugula

8 ounces uncooked whole-wheat shells
3 T olive oil
1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas (about one 15-ounce can)
4 cups packed arugula, chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Cook shells until al dente (about 8 minutes)
Drain and transfer to a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss to distribute
While pasta is still hot, add chickpeas, arugula, dried fruit and tomatoes.
Toss gently.
Cool to room temperature and stir in feta.
Taste and add salt and pepper (feta tends to be salty, so go easy)
Top with toasted walnuts and serve.

Thank you to L who made me feel better about my garbanzo bean obsession with this comment:

“They are good because they fake you out like you are eating pasta but you aren’t!
Good gluten free sub”

Although this one has whole wheat shells in it, L quickly pointed out that you could substitute quinoa or rice pasta if you’d like and I’m excited to hear from her about how it tastes when she gets a chance to make it. (umm..I think you’ve just been tasked L )

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad 29 May 08

I’m starting to see a pattern here. I do actually eat more than just garbanzo beans, I promise.
This is one of those salads that I wasn’t really sure I was going to be a fan of before I made it but ended up really liking it. Fresh vegetables, crisp flavors and lots of texture. What’s not to like?

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

2 cups of garbbanzo beans
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 T chopped parsley or cilantro (depending on the flavor you prefer)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 T lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp flaxseed oil (you can just substitute more olive oil if you don’t have flaxseed oil)
1/4 tsp. salt

In a large bowl combine all the above ingredients. Toss to coat well. Let stand for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

 

Chickpeas and Spinach 13 May 08

My friend Ben loves a certain Chinese dish called Aromatic Chicken from a particular restaurant near where he went to college.  I don’t really know what Aromatic Chicken is, but I understand his nostalgia for food from a particular time in his life. Food is ever so tied to emotion. I could call this dish, my own Aromatic Chicken.  This dish reminds me of the Farmers Market in Madison where I went to college. Cold and rainy Saturday mornings were always made better when I could bundle up and wander the market drinking fresh coffee. Those type of days always made me want to take fresh tomatoes and spinach home with me to make this dish. The smell of this cooking still takes me back to that time.

Garam Masala can sometimes be hard to find, but I’ve had good luck at places that sell lots of bulk items. It’s a touch on the expensive side but you don’t need much. This is a great side dish, main meal, snack, breakfast. Whatever makes you happy. I usually make it in a double batch because it doesn’t stick around long.

Indian Chickpeas and Spinach

3 TB olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3 tsp. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 garam masala
1/4 tsp. turmeric
15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed
1 tsp. salt
1-10 ounce package of frozen spinach*

1. Saute onions until slightly browned, stir in tomatoes, coriander, cumin, garam masala and turmeric.
2. Lower heat and cook for about three minutes.
3. Add chickpeas and spinach

*I prefer fresh spinach in mine. For the spinach I will usually just throw in any amount that I have on hand. I left the 10 ounce package in the recipe as a reference for how much to use.