The great response I received to last week's quick and healthy plant-based Southwest Salad post made me realize just how many people out there are, like me, looking for quick, go-to recipes!
Let's face it, whether you're literally on your last leg, like me, or you've been working all day, you just don't want to spend hours in the kitchen. But if you still want to eat healthy, delicious and plant-based, then this is the perfect recipe for you.
This is one of the yummiest dishes for the amount of time it takes to assemble and cook -- a mere 15-20 minutes, max! This meal can be made wheat- and gluten-free just by using brown-rice pasta (or omitting pasta), and the greatest part is that you only need to use (and wash!) one pan. I like adding the small amount of pasta -- 1 cup -- as I find having the familiar comfort of a little pasta in a dish makes it easier for people transitioning over to a plant-based way of eating, especially teens, and children.
Canned beans and other 'quick' ingredients can be used for a 15-minute version,. But if you have more time and the inclination, I'll also provided a link to a more-from-scratch version.
For example, you can soak chickpeas overnight and/or cook/freeze them, make the polenta from corn grits and chop all the vegetables fresh. Decide what works best for you. But, if you're like me, some days it just isn't going to happen unless it's quick and streamlined!
Whether you're vegan, vegan-ish or you just want one plant-based recipe each week for a Meatless Monday, this is an elegant, easy recipe to add to your repertoire. It will help you to realize that it doesn't have to be difficult or time-consuming, and friends will still be impressed -- my family was!
What is so nutritionally special about this dish? For starters, chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are high in fiber, containing 12.5 grams per cup. Nutritionists say we need to increase our fiber intake for optimal health. Chickpeas contain antioxidants, and because of the fiber and protein, help better regulate blood sugar, without all the saturated fat (zero grams!)!
What's not to like about that?! Read more about the health benefits.
Leafy greens like spinach and kale, and the other ingredients in this dish, including sweet potato, and onion help make Powerhouse Chickpeas a nutrient-dense meal.
One-Pot Powerhouse Chickpeas!
1 onion, cup in large pieces
6 large button mushrooms, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil (oil can be omitted, if necessary, and water can be used)
1 tablespoon hot curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 cups filtered water
2 cans chickpeas, drained (or not!) (I used a low-sodium brand, organic Field Day) or 1½ cups of dried chickpeas can be soaked overnight and cooked for 1 hour
1 sweet potato, cut into small ½-inch squares (keep skin on)
2 cans stewed tomatoes, or 3-4 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped, or ... I used a 26.48-ounce box of chopped 100 percent tomatoes (Pomo brand from Italy)
1 cup brown-rice pasta shells (I used Tinkyada brand to make it wheat and gluten-free, but any can be used)
2-3 cups of chopped kale (quicker version: use pre-washed spinach)
Pre-cooked polenta (I used Organic! brand), sliced into about 12 pieces
Optional: Chopped parsley to garnish & or 3-4 cashews or other nuts or seeds
In a large soup pot, add olive oil, onion, mushrooms, spices and sea salt, and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the water, bring to a boil and simmer. Add chickpeas, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and pasta. Simmer, covered, for 7-8 minutes.
Stir in kale or spinach and layer top with sliced polenta, and simmer 5 more minutes.
Remove from heat, but keep covered until ready to serve. Then place 1½ slices of polenta on each dish and top with two good-sized ladles of chickpea mixture.
Garnish with parsley and 3-4 cashews or other nuts or seeds, if desired. This makes 8 generous portions.
Would you consider making this dish? Have something similar or ideas to make it better? Have you seen changes in your own health from adopting a more plant-based way of eating? Share your story here in my comments section.
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Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff: BPA-Free? Not Exactly
Do you have HBO Meg ? They are repeating it at least a couple of times each day. If you like George Harrison and his music, do make it a plan.I am sure they would coninue it for several weeks to come..later..
..xo
That special sounds great, wish it were on here. I'm in between preparing dinner, too. Had some heirloom squash I needed to use up. Made squash and carrot soup, a seaweed dish (for the minerals!), home made croutons, took some kidney beans out of the fridge and concocted a nice tasting bean dish and boiled some quick cooking brown rice. Ready to eat soon and then I'll kick back with a good book!
Hope the weather was great in your neck of the woods, Gypsy! xxoo
Have you ever had gingered chickpeas? Send me an email and I'll send you that recipe, too.
BTW ... if you make chickpeas from scratch, they freeze well.
By the way, she received her blood tests yesterday and she is not longer pre-diabetic but in normal range. Obviously she's delighted and I'm so proud of her. Nice to see this happen in real life live and reading success stories.
By the way, Veggie Fest was wonderful. I picked up a few recipes but the high lite was seeing listening to John Robbins and his son and the event ended with T. Colin Campbell who received 3 standing ovations by a standing room only crowd of maybe somewhere around 400-500 people. My friend was duly impressed and more inspired than ever to continue on the PBD.
Wow, on your friend turning her diabetes around with a plant-based diet! Wonderful, what an inspiration!
Wish I could have been at the Veg Fest. I love John Robbins and all his books, too. First time I ever heard him was on NPR when I was living in Oregon probably about 15-20 years ago now.
TCC amazes me the way he is able to continue to travel and lecture. They are inspiring!
Yes, I love John Robbins as well. Is there any better book than Diet For a New America and Food Revolution comes in as a great second.
I'm still in awe ending the event with TCC. Did I tell you he has a new book coming out in maybe January? Funny that he said it's the book he wanted to write first.
Tomorrow I woulg go and look for cooked polenta in my grocer. The rest would be easily accessable. I don`t keep curry powder, I could use cyanne pepper . I am by myself this whole week, so
I have to make a small amount. The picture looks soo good, I am all exited for it.
I subscribe to a mag. ~The Week~ it is a really good one, you would get the best of US and International Media. However , on one place it says ~eating white fruits and vegetables can dramatically reduce the risk stroke. New Dutch research ~, true or not , the diet is good for all. xo
Let me know if you like the dish!
If you're going to serve it freshly made, grits style, that's quite good.
But you can also make it the day before. Pour it into a lightly greased loaf pan, and let it set up in the fridge overnight.
The next day, it will be firm enough to cut into slices.
Cut it into thick slices- about an inch or so, brush those with oil, and put them under the broiler for a few minutes, turning so both sides brown evenly.
You'll get nice golden browned slices of polenta that you can put pretty much anything on. Very tasty. :-)
If I don't use the really quick one (pre-cooked in the tube), I use the Bob's Red Mill organic Polenta Corn Grits. It only takes 5 minutes and makes a great breakfast porridge, or, as you described, I've also put it into a pan, let it sit and cut into squares.
But I tend to cook polenta like I cook grits- on the thick side. When the stirring spoon can just about stand up in the mixture, then it's ready.
I like both grits and polenta about the same consistency as mashed potatoes, that way it stands up to whatever you put on top of it.
But with grits I cheat- I use the quick cooking kind. :-)
Shhhh- don't tell anyone... LOL ;-)
And if you guys like Meg's recipe, try shrimp and grits sometime, it's awesome.
When I make shrimp and grits, I think I wind up cooking them about 10-12 minutes or so.
I know when it's ready by consistency, rather than time... :-)
I love all the rest of the bean family.
I shall tell my cute z dog she has a cute name. Unfortunately she can't be trained to sniff truffles it seems.
Other than that, it looks divine.
I use some oil in my recipes, though I don't use it in every dish. I like a little, but personally think it is over used rather than under used. I agree it does make you feel more satiated, but in this dish I did add the cashews (or nuts, I gave a choice) as optional.
I'm sending your recipe to my new vegan friend.
email to come........
I'm with you on the one-dish meal for fall and please do send to your friend. Let me know if she likes it-my nephew and brother-in-law did.
Oh, I found these new boxed tomatoes and heard that Whole Foods market carries them. Another good for the cupboard that's not canned. Have you ever tried them? My first time.
The only things canned in my pantry are organic tomatoes, pumpkin and coconut milk.
I seldom ever use oil. There is enough in veggies and nuts and I eat one avocado a week.
Now I've got one YOU might want to try - I make a curried chickpeas dish that's loaded with fresh garlic and fresh ginger and assorted Indian spices - it's almost as quick to prepare as yours is, and is lactose-free and gluten-free, and really, really delicious.
http://www.naturallyradiant.info/site/curried-chickpeas/233
And, yes, I LOVE ginger, too. I just had some fresh with a number of vegetables that I like to juice.
How wonderful that your children have always liked chickpeas! Do they like other beans, too? I remember you said they also like the black beans.
Re: ginger - I LOVE ginger in a fresh juice we make at home - carrot/celery/apple/beet/ginger. The ginger gives it a wonderful zing!
I just copied the recipe you linked to, and will try it this week.
I just adore chickpeas, and am always looking for new ways to cook them. One can only eat so much hummus after all... LOL
I make a killer pasta e fagioli, and I use both cannelini AND chickpeas.
Meg's recipe looks good as well. How can you go wrong with both polenta and chickpeas... mmmmmm.... :-)
"I make a killer pasta e fagioli, and I use both cannelini AND chickpeas." Sounds delish, oh, the combinations!
You can't go wrong with polenta, you're right!