Kale, Chickpeas, and Tomatoes

My garden is producing quite a bit of lettuce, chard, and kale right now. As a result, I searched for recipes to use the bounty from my garden in new ways. I came across a recipe for Chickpeas and Kale in Spicy Pomodoro Sauce. 

I modified the recipe and made it my own based on the ingredients I had on hand and personal preferences. My dish features the KALE more than the original. It leaves the ingredients chunky and with a variety of textures.

 

Ingredients:

• 6 cloves of garlic (diced and crushed)
• 1 14 OZ can of diced tomatoes  (either with garlic or italian herbs)
• 3 cups of diced kale
• 2 cups chickpeas
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
• olive oil (so nothing sticks to the pan)

Instructions:

• Saute the garlic and onion in oilve oil until translucent
• Add the caraway seed and warm for a minute or two
• Add the diced tomatoes and stir to combine
• After a few minutes add the kale and chickpeas
• Cook until kale has softened to your liking 

Serve with rice, gluten free pasta, or gluten free bread bread 

You can add some shredded mozzarella or Parmesan cheese (I prefer Violife Vegan Cheese) to the dish as you serve

Kasha Grain Bowl

I am enjoying trying out new recipes while I have more time to play with my food. The most recent experiment was a GRAIN BOWL featuring Bob's Red Mill Kasha (Roasted Buckwheat Kernels). I added chickpeas and roasted carrots with tarragon.

NOTE: This recipe is a great way to use leftovers. you can use veggies and protein that are already prepared. Each member in the family could have a different bowl and flavor their bowl the way they want it for that particular meal!

For this recipe I roasted the veggies ahead of time. I used chickpeas that I hydrated. If you use canned, rinse and drain the chickpeas.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients to Serve 2:

1 cup Kasha
1 egg or egg replacement ( I use make flax eggs)
1 tbsp butter or vegan butter substitute or olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup onion/shallot
4 cloves of garlic minced
3/4 cup protein per bowl
3/4 cup veggies per bowl

Instructions: (30 minutes or less)

• Prepare Kasha according to package directions 
• Bring 2 cups of liquid to a boil
• Combine kasha and egg (egg replacement) in a bowl
• Sautee kasha, onion, and garlic in oil until kasha breaks apart and onion is translucent
• Add boiling water to the kasha, stir, cover, and reduce heat to low until liquid is absorbed.
• Serve in a bowl with protein and veggies of your choice
• You can drizzle on a sauce of choice at serving or add seeds for crunch

Homemade Baked Falafel

I made falaffels for the first time this week and I am pleased with the results.

The fresh falaffels turned out great, the left overs were a bit crumbly. I think I will add more moisture next time I make them...or fry them. Experimenting with how to make them perfect is just another good opportunity to eat more falafels!

Why make falafels?

I had some dry fava beans (2 cups) and decided to use them. This was a labor of love. I added water and soaked them overnight. The next morning I drained and rinsed them, added them to a pot with 1 cup of water and 1 cup of vegetable broth. Once they were relatively soft (add more water as needed) I let them cool so I could peel the outer shell off of them.

It took a while to make BUT it was worth it!

I know I can make falafels with chickpeas and I would not have to peel an outer shell. That would save just a bit of hand work. The falafels tasted great and was easy to make after the bean preparation. The bean prep can be eliminated if you purchase canned beans and rinse them.

Nutrition

Fave beans are high in protein and fiber and low in fat. According to healthline, they are known to improve motor function , improve cholesterol, improve high blood pressure, and boost immunity (something we need to fight COVID19). Some people have Favism, an allergy to )broad) fava beans . People with this should use chickpeas when they make falafels at home and check ingredients with restaurants before ordering.

Ingredients

• fava beans/chickpeas (Start with 1.5 cups dry)
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• juice 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chickpea flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350
In a food processor, blender, or Vitamix, combine all of the ingredients EXCEPT chickpea flour
Add the chickpea flour as needed to thicken the mix
Add only as much as needed
Form the falafels into balls/patties and place on a parchment lined baking sheet
Rotate falafels on baking sheet after 20 minutes

Serve 

... as a sandwich or on a bed of lettuce

I added panisse as a side dish in this picture. I served a side salad to go with the meal. Hummus was added to the gluten free pita bread.