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

Toasted Barley Salad with Tomato, Zucchini, & Caramelized Corn

i

With autumn just around the corner, I've been frantically using up the glorious summer bounty our garden has so graciously shared this season. The kitchen counter is practically overflowing with squash, green beans, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, bell peppers, basil, raspberries, and other such lovelies.

The bounty of summer is hard to under-appreciate. Nothing compares to biting into a freshly picked, deep red, juicy tomato. Really, nothing quite does. Likewise, an ear of grilled corn slathered with butter and sprinkled with a bit of salt epitomizes summer. All of this and the long, lazy summer evenings on the back porch surrounded by great company are the things I will miss most. 

This end-of-summer salad was inspired by that abundant harvest of fresh produce consuming the kitchen counter. It's kind of like summer on a plate - fresh and bright. I hope you'll enjoy it as we begin our farewells to this wonderful, generous season.

Notes: This kind of salad is the perfect dish for a picnic or a long, lazy summer lunch because it gets better as it sits and marinates in the dressing. Serve it with grilled meats or fish as a side dish, or with plenty of lightly cooked vegetables as a vegetarian main course. The salad is also very open to  adaptations based on what the garden is producing. Feel free to even add some toasted nuts for a bit more crunch.

Adapted from here

Barley & Millet Risotto

Arborio rice is an Italian short-grain rice that is traditionally used to make risotto. When cooked, the grains become creamy and chewy - perfect for a comforting dish like risotto. Here, instead of using the traditional arborio rice, I used barley, which still creates that creamy, chewy texture, but is a bit more wholesome. The addition of a little millet to this risotto is also nice - for added nutrition, texture, and flavor. This risotto makes for a lovely lunch or a nice side dish for dinner.

Risotto can be adapted a million different ways. The version I have pictured includes some quartered cherry tomatoes, toasted almonds, a bit of fresh oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil. You can use this risotto recipe as a springboard for all kinds of flavor combinations. I have included a few of my own ideas in the recipe below, but definitely experiment. And if you do, let me know what you like!

Notes: If you'd like to make this a full meal that is a little more substantial, you might try some grilled chicken or a fried egg on top. If you are lucky enough to find it, farro is a great and delicious substitution to the barley, but both work equally well.

Adapted from 101 cookbooks


This post linked to The Nourishing Gourmet

Broccoli Pesto Orzo with Lemon & Avocado

The rain is slowly drizzling outside the window as I sit here today. It's overcast and beautifully misty out there. The pitter patter of the rain drops hitting the roof is so peaceful. It's the kind of day that makes you just want to curl up in a big sweater, grab a wonderful book, and settle into a comfy chair. In fact, that's just what I did after making this delicious pasta dish for lunch. I'm currently reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I'm not too far into it yet, but so far it's been a page-turner - a little bit of World War II history, charming England, and a touch of romance all rolled into one book. I have high hopes for it.

As for this pasta. I had high hopes for it, too, upon seeing it in Heidi's new book. And, as usual, it fulfilled those high hopes. This dish is quick and easy to put together. The creme fraiche and lemon zest add a touch of brightness while a bit of diced avocado lends a bit of creaminess. This is the perfect kind of nutrition- and flavor-packed lunch I love. I hope you'll try it soon.

Also, pick up that book if you're ever on your way past the library. I think it's going to be a good one.

Notes: Heidi notes in her book that if you can't find orzo, substituting another tiny pasta, or even farro or wheat berries, would be great. I can imagine if you also don't have pine nuts on hand, walnuts would make a nice substitution.

Adapted from Super Natural Every Day

Broccoli Pesto Orzo with Avocado & Lemon

pasta & broccoli
2 cups whole-wheat orzo
Kosher salt
7 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets

pesto
(3 cups of the broccoli florets after being cooked)
2 cloves garlic
2/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup cream

to serve
Zest of one lemon
1 large avocado, diced
Remaining toasted pine nuts
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

pasta & broccoli
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water in a separate bowl. Set the pasta and cooking water aside.
In the meantime, cook the broccoli by placing the florets in a steam backet. Cook for 3-5 minutes, just enough to take off the raw edge. Set aside.

pesto
To make the pesto, combine 3 cups of the cooked broccoli, the garlic, most of the pine nuts, the Parmesan, the lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and cream and blend until smooth. Adjust the consistency so that the pesto is not too thick by adding a few tablespoons at a time of the pasta cooking water. Taste and add additional salt and lemon juice as needed.

to serve
Just before serving, toss the orzo and remaining cooked broccoli florets with the broccoli pesto and the lemon zest. Gently fold in the avocado. Serve topped with pine nuts, Parmesan, and a few grinds of fresh black pepper.

Yield: Serves 4 as a main dish, a few more as a side

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