The Incredible, Edible Chickpea

Growing up I always knew them as garbanzo beans. And I hated them. I only ever saw them at a salad bar and sometimes my dad would put a few in his salad. I didn't see the purpose and I thought they had a weird name. Years later I discovered hummus and thought that was pretty dang tasty but still never really cooked with chickpeas. Well, turns out that they are awesome. They are low in fat and calories and high in protein and fiber. They contain high amounts of iron, potassium, and zinc and have various B vitamins. And boy are they tasty! A lovely creamy, nutty flavor that goes well many things. Pasta is one of my favorite ways to eat them. I eat chickpeas probably at least once a week these days.


When I found this recipe I was not sure how David would feel about it. I didn't even know if he liked chickpeas. And mixed with tomatoes and put on pasta? This is now one of his very favorite things that I make. Actually I think he would name it as his very favorite. Not only is it easy and nutritious, it is really cheap and literally takes as long to make as it does to boil the pasta. Thanks, Rachel Ray! Looking at the recipe may not make your skirt fly up, but let me assure you that the sum is greater than its parts. You get a spicy, creamy, nutty pasta dish that warms you inside and out. The original recipe says to pass around cheese with it but I don't think it needs that at all and I don't think I would like it as well with it.

Spaghetti alla Ceci

1 pound spaghetti - I actually use a little more that 3/4 of a pound for this usually
salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth - I highly encourage the wine. I use cheapo Two Buck Chuck Sauvignon Blanc for this. I have tried with the broth and it is fine but not nearly as good.
1 can crushed tomatoes - I buy diced and use my mini processor to crush

Boil water for pasta, salt it, and cook spaghetti to al dente.

While spaghetti cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic. Place chick peas in food processor and pulse grind them to a fine chop (or use a fork). Add chick peas to garlic and season them with thyme, salt and pepper then saute them for 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine or broth and cook down for a minute or so then stir in tomatoes and heat through and adjust seasoning. I always end up adding more thyme and red pepper flakes. Toss with pasta and eat up. If it is too dry you may want to save some pasta water to use in that situation.

There's Many Colors In The Veggie Rainbow

Soup. I love it! I also really enjoy making it. It is so adaptable and fun. It never ends up being expensive and it ends up making a ton of soup. A little of this here and there and suddenly you have a huge pot of soup. This soup started with some purple cabbage and an onion that I needed to use and turned into a healthy rainbow of goodness.


According to people who know things about nutrition, we should eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. These different colors of produce ensure you are getting a wide variety of nutrients. The different plant pigments contain many different beneficial characteristics. I was thinking about that when I started to make this soup. It has red (tomatoes), orange (carrots), green (celery), purple (cabbage), and white (onion and garlic). This (or any) soup is a great way to expand your rainbow of nutrients!

Rainbow Tortellini Soup

olive oil
1 carrot, large dice
1 stalk celery (I used most of one, my celery was at the end of the line), diced
1 white onion, diced
3 cloves, minced
1/2 of a small purple cabbage, chopped
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 can diced tomatoes
8 cups water
1 tbs beef bouillon granules
1 1/2 tbs chicken base
italian seasoning
TJ's 21 Seasoning Salute
black pepper
1 can white beans
8 oz. tortellini of your choice, we had cheese

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or large pot. Throw in onion, celery, and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes or until starting to soften.


Add garlic, cabbage, and a pinch of red pepper flakes and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, water, bouillon and chicken base, and italian seasoning and TJ's seasoning. I just shook the seasonings in, it was probably around 1/2-2/3 of a teaspoon each. Add a few grinds of pepper. Stir, partially cover, bring to a boil, and then lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for about half an hour or until vegetables are to your liking. I tasted near the end of that time and added more of all seasonings.


At this point I turned the heat off, added the beans, and covered. I also added about a half cup of water so it would not be too thick once I added the tortellini. We were going to grab a beer so it sat like that for around an hour. If you are not leaving your house it will still taste better this way but is not required. If you want to keep going, just add the beans but do not turn off the heat. Boil tortellini in a separate pot and add to soup when it is done. Simmer for another 5 minutes and then serve.