Chickpea Puree with Lemon and Mint

Hummus alternative without tahini. Serve with crudite, crostini, or pita chips.

• 1 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped mint
• Sprinkling of cayenne pepper

1. Coarsely puree the chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, and salt until smooth. Gradually add 1/3 cup oil in a thin, steady stream. Then add the water and puree until the chickpeas are smooth and fluffy. Scrape into a shallow bowl and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

2. Sprinkle the top with the herbs and cayenne; drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

Makes about 3 cups

From Fresh & Fast by Marie Simmons

Curried Cauliflower with Chick Peas and Tomatoes

• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
• canned diced tomatoes
• 1 head cauliflower (about 1 pound), cut into florets
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Salt
• Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Heat the ghee in a deep skillet or pot over medium flame. Add the onion, curry powder, and ginger; cook and stir for a few minutes to soften the onion. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes break down and soften, about 6 minutes. Mix in the cauliflower, chickpeas, tomato paste, and 1 cup of water; stir everything together. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover, and continue cooking until the excess moisture has evaporated and the cauliflower and chickpeas are coated with a thick gravy. Season with salt, to taste, and garnish with cilantro before serving.

adapted from Tyler Florence via The Food Network

Ten Minute Tasty Asparagus and Brown Rice

I made this with brown rice, but you could certainly substitute other grains. I suspect quinoa or millet would make nice substitutes (or even a short whole-grain pasta?). Seeking out the pre-cooked brown rice in the freezer section helps shave quite a lot of time in this recipe, but feel free to go from scratch with your favorite rice. Use two cans of chickpeas/garbanzo beans if you love them like I do - one can if you're only a general enthusiast.

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 or 2 14-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments
• 3 cups pre-cooked brown rice
• 1 cup almond slivers, toasted
• fine grain sea salt

Tahini Dressing

• 1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
• 1/4 cup tahini
• zest of one lemon
• scant 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

If you're using frozen rice (did I just say that?), heat it on its own in a pot or per package instructions.

Make the dressing by whisking together the garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt. Set aside.

Add a couple glugs of olive oil (roughly 3 tablespoons) to a big skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl the oil around to coat the pan, then add the chickpeas and sprinkling of salt. Let the beans saute there for a couple minutes (I like to try to get some crusty color on them). Be careful, they seem to hiss and pop more then other beans over high heat. Add the garlic and onions. Stir for a minute. Stir in the asparagus with another pinch or two of salt, cover with a lid for a minute or two to steam - just until the asparagus brightens and softens up just a bit. Uncover and stir in the rice and almond slivers, reserving a few almonds for garnish. Taste and add more salt if needed (likely). Serve family-style in a big bowl drizzled with a few tablespoons of the tahini dressing, let each person add more dressing to their tastes.

Serves 4-6.

from 101 Cookbooks

Pan-fried Chickpea Salad

You can add all sorts of things to this salad depending on the season - sliced green beans, asparagus, or broccoli florets (all blanched) might be good choices. Or simply add a bit of sauteed spinach. I almost opted out of the curry approach at the last minute, seduced by some vibrant broccoli I picked up along with the leeks at the market. I was thinking that a lemony-broccoli pesto would be a great dressing in place of the curried yogurt. Or how about a version of this salad using Thai curry paste instead of Indian curry powder? In this scenario I might skim some of the coconut cream off the top of a can of coconut milk and use that in place of the yogurt - again thinning it with warm water, coconut water, or broth. If I'm going to make this an entire one-pan meal I might through in some tofu or black lentils for that little extra boost of protein.

If you are pinched for time, you can certainly skip the browning of the chickpeas - just skip adding any leeks altogether and add the chopped garlic and the lemon zest to the yogurt dressing. The only ingredient I would add to this version the next time around would be a handful of toasted, slivered almonds. Just a hint of sweetness, toasty nut flavor, and lots of crunch. You can use canned chickpeas, but chickpeas cooked from dried beans are infinitely better tasting, and the texture much better.

• 1 tablespoon clarified butter, olive oil, or coconut oil
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), pat them completely dry with clean dish towel
• 1 cup chopped leeks
• 1 medium clove of garlic, minced
• zest of one lemon
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt (I typically use low-fat Greek)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Indian-style curry powder (or to taste)
• scant 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1 or 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion or red spring onions, chopped

Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet and add the chickpeas. Saute over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they start getting a bit golden in color. Stir in the leeks and cook until the chickpeas are more golden and the leeks have browned a bit as well, roughly 7 - 10 minutes total. At the last minute stir in the garlic and the lemon zest. Remove from heat, and set aside.

While the chickpeas cool (I like to serve this salad at room temperature), make the yogurt dressing by combining the yogurt, curry powder, and salt in a small bowl. If you need to thin it out a bit, particularly if you are using Greek yogurt, whisk in warm water a tablespoon at a time. Taste, adjust, and set aside.

When you are ready to serve the salad, toss the chickpea mixture with most of the cilantro and most of the chopped red onion. Add about 1/2 of the yogurt dressing and toss again. If you like more dressing, keep adding until you are pleased. Serve on a platter sprinkled with the remaining onions and cilantro.

Serves 4 as a side.

from 101 Cookbooks

Couscous with Chick-Peas and Tomatoes

Offer this healthful Moroccan grain dish as a main course or as an accompaniment to roasted chicken.

• 1 1/2 cups canned chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 1 cup whole wheat couscous
• 1/2 cup diced tomato
• 1/2 cup drained canned chick-peas (garbanzo beans)
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter small baking dish. Bring chicken broth and butter to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Add couscous. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until couscous is tender and has absorbed all liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato, chick-peas, raisins, cinnamon, basil and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to baking dish. Cover and cook until heated through, about 15 minutes.

yield: Serves 4

adapted from Epicurious

Kabocha Squash Stuffed with Brown Rice and Chickpea Pilaf

• 1 kabocha squash
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

BROWN RICE STUFFING

• 1 cup medium grain brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 thumb-size piece kombu
• 1/3 cup currants
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon dried dill
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soak rice for 1 hour in bowl with enough water to cover. Drain, place rice in pot with 2 cups fresh water, kombu, currants, allspice and dill. Bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes or until water is absorbed. Set aside to cool.

ROASTING SQUASH

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash squash well and cut in half from top to bottom. Remove seeds and rub skin and f lesh with oil. Place cut side down on cookie sheet and roast 25 minutes or until soft (time will vary according to size of squash).

PREPARING STUFFING

In large skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in grapeseed oil until soft (about 3 minutes). Remove kombu from rice and discard. Add rice and chickpeas to onion and sauté 3 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with pine nuts, parsley and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

FINISHING

Slice cooked squash into boats, place on individual plates or group on a platter. Spoon brown rice stuffing over the center so that it spills down on each side, sprinkle with toasted pecans and serve.

SERVES 4

from CLEAN FOOD

Couscous Salad with Winter Squash and Cranberries

Makes about 5 servings

• 1 medium butternut squash (or other hard winter squash), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3/4 cup uncooked couscous
• 1 cup water
• 1 onion, diced
• 4-5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Zest of one orange
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1-3 teaspoons salt--to taste
• 1 can garbanzo beans--drained
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 oz goat cheese (if desired)
• 1/2 cup walnuts-coarsely chopped (if desired)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss squash with a bit of olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Roast squash, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool before combining with other ingredients.

Heat water in sauce pan to boiling. Add couscous and stir. Remove pan from heat, cover with a lid, and let sit for about 15 minutes until the couscous has absorbed all the water. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Saute onion in a skillet over medium-high heat until translucent. Set aside and allow to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, zest, spices, and 1 teaspoon of salt.

In a large bowl, combine squash, couscous, onions, garbanzo beans, and cranberries. Pour on the vinegar-oil dressing and stir to combine. Taste to check seasoning and add salt if needed.

If including, crumble the goat cheese into chunks and gently fold into the salad. (Note: Make sure the salad is room temperature at this point or the goat cheese will melt.)

Top each serving with a sprinkle of walnuts and enjoy. This salad can be served room temperature or cold.

from Apartment Therapy

Warm Grecian Spinach and Sausage Salad

• 4 links Aidells Artichoke and Garlic Sausage, thinly sliced
• 6 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 16-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 cup coarsely chopped artichoke hearts
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup sliced pitted Kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large clove garlic, through a press
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a nonstick skillet, over medium high heat, saute the sausage until nicely browned. In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach and the next 7 ingredients. Add the sausage slices. Return the skillet to medium high heat and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute, until heated through. Toss the hot dressing with the sausage and spinach mixture to evenly coat. Serve immediately garnished with feta cheese.

Serves 6

from Aidell's

Lamb Stew with Spinach and Garbanzo Beans

• 1 1/4 pounds lamb shoulder or stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
• 1 cup canned chicken broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 tsp each of cumin, coriander, cinnamon
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1 10-ounce package ready-to-use spinach leaves

Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add lamb and sauté until brown, about 10 minutes. Add onion, carrots, and garlic and sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garbanzo beans, broth, tomatoes, and lemon juice and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot and simmer gently until lamb is tender, about 1 hour.

Add spinach to stew. Cover and cook until spinach wilts, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Season stew with salt and pepper. Serve over rice or couscous.

Spinach-Quinoa Salad with Cherries and Almonds

Perfect for picnics because it's filling and won't get soggy. Also works well with couscous or bulgur.

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups spinach leaves
• 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved, or 1 cup dried cherries, chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/3-inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 3 T. olive oil
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 t.)

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread almonds on baking sheet and toast 7 to 10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, or until golden brown. Cool.

2. Bring 3 cups salted water to a boil in pot over medium-high heat. Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, or until all liquid has been absorbed.

3. Remove from heat and cool, covered, in pot.

4. Cut spinach into chiffonade.

5. Toss together quinoa, almonds, spinach, cherries, cucumber, chickpeas, and red onion in large serving bowl. Whisk together yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop, then serve.

Serves 6

Per serving: 352 cal; 11g protein; 12.5g total fat; 52g carb; 492mg sodium; 8g fiber

from Wild Oats magazine

Golden Couscous

• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 2 T. golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cups whole wheat couscous (about 1/2 pound)
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Bring broth to boil in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to very low; cover to keep hot. Add raisins to plump.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until tender and light golden, about 8 minutes. (If you have time, caramelize onions for additional flavor.) Add turmeric and cumin; stir 1 minute. Add couscous; stir until coated with onion mixture. Mix in hot broth. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand until broth is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork. Season generously with salt and pepper. Mound on platter. Sprinkle with almonds.

Variations: Add sauteed zucchini, eggplant, or bell pepper, shredded carrots, canned garbanzo beans, uncooked tomato, arugula or spinach, cooked butternut squash chunks, peas, crumbled feta cheese

Makes 3 servings.

Adapted from Epicurious

Baked Falafel Balls

• 3/4 c water
• 1/2 c bulgur
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (1 t.)
• 1/4 t crushed red chili flakes
• 1 1/4 t. cumin
• 1 1/4 t. coriander
• 1 1/2 c cooked chickpeas
• 1 1/2 T. lemon juice
• 1/4 c + 2 T. dried bread crumbs
• 1/8 c. minced fresh cilantro
• 1/8 c. minced fresh parsley
• salt to taste
• olive oil for spraying

Bring the water to a boil and remove from the heat. Mix in the bulgur. Cover; allow to sit until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a small pan. Saute the onion and garlic over medium heat until the onion is translucent. Add the red chili flakes, cumin, and coriander, and saute for 1 minute.

Combine the chickpeas and bulgur in the bowl of a food processor; add the lemon juice, bread crumbs, cilantro, parsley, and salt, and process until just mixed.

Preheat oven to 400F. Allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes before forming into 2-inch balls. Place the balls onto a lightly oiled sheet pan. Spray the balls with olive oil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden, turning the pan once during baking.

Serve stuffed inside pita bread with tahini sauce.

Per Serving: Calories 160; Protein 10g; Carbohydrate 20g; Total fat 8g

Serves 8

From The Whole Foods Market Cookbook, p. 27