Posts tagged ‘chickpeas’
Beets, squash, kale and chickpeas…together at last
There’s nothing like a week off work to spur on more blogging. I’ve been looking through a few photos I took in recent weeks and found this one of a veggie dish I made for a holiday dinner with friends. I started with an ingredient that everyone seems to love: roasted beets. I also had butternut squash, a fresh bunch of kale, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and shallots, all things that have come to be staples in my kitchen one by one over the past few years, so that’s how this dish came to be.
Uplifting day-glo colours, healthy veggies, a bit of protein, and aside from the messiness of beets it’s a snap to make.
Potato chickpea and kale curry
I wrote recently about the fact that I am now cooking with real cream. In the days of old, I was a substituter – always finding inventive ways to step around full-fat ingredients like cream, butter, cheese and oil. No more. Cream is now part of the weekly shopping list. That aside, I am usually pretty health-conscious in my eating and cooking and I realize that it’s important to strike a balance. Gluten-free and vegetarian is the main fare coming out of my kitchen, and this curry dish with chickpeas, kale, and potatoes falls squarely in the virtuous category. Kale is also one of the few vegetables that is truly local this time of year. Walking around neighbourhood and community garden plots this winter, I’ve discovered that kale grows year-round in Vancouver. It will definitely be part of my cool-weather gardening mix this year.
Potato, chickpea and kale curry
4 cups cooked potatoes, diced about 1-inch square
1-1/2 cups chickpeas, drained (about 1 can)
2 cups chopped fresh kale
1-1/2 cups coconut milk (1 can)
2 tablespoons green curry paste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon ginger juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Combine potatoes, chickpeas and kale in a casserole dish. Mix together coconut milk, curry paste, sugar, soy sauce and ginger juice in a small bowl and pour over top potato mixture. Stir gently to mix. Bake in a 375F oven for 25-30 minutes and top with fresh cilantro.
Stuffed acorn squash
I am slowly turning on to acorn squash. I’ve always loved the way it looks, and the sheer simplicity of it. But it’s so rich that sometimes I find myself sated after the first few bites. I decided to try making it stuffed instead of the usual baked version with maple syrup glaze. It was delicious, a snap to make and perfect for a chilly winter evening. Below is a recipe for 4 people. (more…)
Superfood: Hummus
Despite a sometimes overly busy lifestyle, we try to eat healthy, unprocessed, responsibly produced foods. We’re definitely not perfect, but there are a few recipes and habits that are making it easier to live up to the goal of wholesome eating. One of those is homemade hummus! Everyone likes it. It’s cheap to make and easy, and good for vegetarians (including vegans), and those with aversions to gluten, nuts and dairy. (more…)
