Moroccan Chickpea & Sweet Potato Stew with Quinoa

I've been eyeing this stew for about a month now, ever since I saw it posted on A Couple Cooks, and recently got around to making it. And, boy, am I glad I finally did! It's quite simple and brings together lots of vibrant flavors. A wonderful mixture of spices adds a bit of an exotic flare, while the yogurt, lemon, and cilantro keep it light and fresh.

I love that each of the ingredients not only brings a unique flavor to this dish, but also that they each contribute their own big nutritional punch. There's lots of protein, antioxidants, and vitamins in that bowl up there. This is one of those dishes you can not only enjoy for its great flavors, but also for its powerful nutritional offerings. 

Enjoy!

Notes: Obviously, fresh chickpeas are best, but canned will also be delicious. This stew can be served with brown rice or quinoa. A quick note on the quinoa: I prefer to sprout my quinoa whenever possible, to increase the nutritional and digestive benefits, but non-sprouted quinoa will also work just fine. The directions for this are the same as I have written below, just exclude the "day before" instructions. The stew itself is fairly flexible. I can imagine that a number of diced vegetables would make a great addition; feel free to throw in some of what you have on hand.  

Adapted from A Couple Cooks

Moroccan Chickpea & Sweet Potato Stew with Quinoa

sprouted quinoa
2 cups dry quinoa
2 cups water
2 tablespoons yogurt

3/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 cups water

stew
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teasoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 pinches cayenne pepper

2 cups vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 large (about 1 3/4 pounds) sweet potatoes, diced into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
3 cups spinach
Juice of half a lemon

garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Zest of one lemon
Plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt

sprouted quinoa
(The day before...) In a glass bowl, mix together the quinoa, the first two cups of water, and 2 tablespoons of yogurt. Cover and place in a warm place for 12-24 hours.

When you are ready to cook the quinoa, strain the quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse well, until the water runs clear. Add rinsed quinoa to a medium pot with the salt and the last two cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Fluff with fork and set aside.

stew
Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 additional seconds.

Stir in the paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Stir for 30 seconds. Add vegetable broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then add sweet potatoes and chickpeas. Simmer the stew for 25 - 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Stir in spinach and fresh lemon juice in the last 2 minutes.

Serve stew with quinoa. Garnish with cilantro, lemon zest, and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Yield: Serves 4-6

Hummus

Like most college students, I had several different roommates over the years. All had fun, unique qualities, and we all got along so well. There are many fun memories we created over the years and the one I share today took place during my Freshman year.

It was a Sunday afternoon. We were all in the kitchen looking for a little pick-me-up when Daniella pulled out her blender. She dumped in a can of beans, plopped a few scoops of tan gloopy stuff inside, tossed in some garlic cloves, and sprinkled in a few pinches of green powder. Then she pushed "blend." After a minute or so, she took the lid off the blender and stuck a pita chip right into the light creamy stuff.

My curiosity was peaked. The only ingredient I recognized was garlic. What was that light creamy puree she had made? I asked her just that and Daniella said it was called hummus. She offered me a taste and I immediately had to know more about it. She explained that it was a simple chickpea puree eaten frequently in the Middle East. She told me all about chickpeas, tahini, and her special green spice blend, called Zatar, which came straight from the Middle East. Boy, was that stuff yummy.

Not long after, I started making my own hummus and have been doing so since that first year of college with Daniella. Though I have no Zatar picked up from a recent trip to the Middle East, I still think this hummus is quite delightful.

There are many different versions of hummus: black bean hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, sun-dried tomato hummus, chipotle cilantro hummus, the list goes on. Basically, if you can blend it, you can probably make some kind of hummus with it. This is my favorite classic version: chickpeas, garlic, hummus, tahini, lemon, olive oil, and a few spices. Hummus makes for a great afternoon snack. It's healthy, filling, creamy, and light. I like hummus served with pita chips or homemade crackers. It is also a great spread in sandwiches or a dip for vegetables.

Notes: The only special ingredient you need to make hummus is called tahini. Tahini is sesame paste - simply ground up sesame seeds. Think of peanut butter, but made with sesame seeds. You can usually find tahini by the peanut butter in most grocery stores. Also, I like the fresh taste of home cooked beans, but you can certainly use canned if you prefer, just be sure to drain and rinse the beans.

Adapted from The New Best Recipe

Red Pepper and Broccoli Quinoa

This is one of my go-to favorites for a quick, healthy, and satisfying lunch. It's light and refreshing and the ingredients are usually in the fridge around here, so it's a snap to throw together.

Notes: I cook a big batch of chickpeas every so often and keep them in plastic bags in the freezer. Frozen beans thaw quickly and are great for tossing in recipes like this. As for the roasted red pepper, you have a few options: you can used jarred peppers from the store (great for off-season), you can roast your own in the oven, or (my preferred method) saute a chopped one with a little olive oil until tender.

Adapted from Sprouted Kitchen