Back in the Kitchen!

Well it has certainly been awhile since I posted a food blog but this yummy, (and hearty), vegan recipe just cries out to be passed on. 

In found it in the St. Catharines Standard on Wed., Jan. 4. 

It was posted by food editor, Laurie Sadowski, under the subtitle:

Healthy Meals to counteract the holiday season's excess.

 

 The subtitle I would have used is:

Who the H,E, double hockey sticks  cares if it's healthy?

It's totally delicious! 

And don't think it's wimpy because it's vegan. 

Moroccan chickpeas have attitude!

So for those of you who missed it in the paper, here it is again!

It gets 5 gold stars from me!

Moroccan Chickpea Stew

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onions

1 carrot, peeled cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 to 4 cloves garlic

1 1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

sea salt to taste

1 tbsp whole grain flour

1 (14 oz/ 414 ml) organic no salt added can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 (28 oz/828 ml) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp agave nectar

1 red bell pepper cut into bite sized pieces

1 small cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces

5 oz/145 g dried apricots

zest of 1 lemon

1/2 to 1 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped

Directions:

Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.

Add onion and carrot and cook 5 minutes until carrot pieces begin to soften.

Add ginger and garlic.  

Cook 1 or 2 minutes more until fragrant.

Add the spices.

Sprinkle with sea salt and flour and add chickpeas.

Stir to coat chickpeas, cook about 30 seconds until it smells spicy.

Add the diced tomatoes, water, tomato paste and agave nectar.

Mix well.

Add the red pepper, cauliflower and apricots.

Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the lid and stir in the zest of lemon and cilantro.

Cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.

Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Serve over brown basmati rice.

Serves 4.

*I found several versions of this recipe online, (some included chicken), but none sounded as yummy as this one tastes.