Healthy Recipe, Chickpea and Spinach Stew

Going easy on the starch and meat while filling you up and fulfilling your protein needs can be a balancing act. But this flavor-rich, nutrient-loaded meal in a bowl, adapted from Arash Hashemi’s “Shred Happens: So Easy, So Good,” shows a delicious way. Chickpeas serve as the primary protein source and as a thickener when a spoonful is mashed with liquid. Collagen-rich bone broth cranks up the flavor and nutritional profile.

Serves 4-6. – Susan Puckett

Ingredients

·         2 tablespoons olive oil

·         1 medium yellow onion, minced

·         1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

·         2 celery stalks, chopped

·         2 teaspoons dried thyme

·         ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

·         2 tablespoons tomato paste

·         4 garlic cloves, minced

·         2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes

·         2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained

·         2 cups bone broth

·         3 to 5 tablespoons lemon juice

·         Salt and freshly ground pepper

·         1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more for garnish

·         4 ounces fresh spinach

·         Fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Place a deep skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. When hot, add the onion, cherry tomatoes, and celery and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the onions are tender and golden brown.
   

2. Add the thyme and red pepper flakes and stir for another minute. Then add the tomato paste, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes; and cook for 2 or 3 more minutes.
   

3. Place about ¼ cup of the chickpeas in a small bowl with a little of the broth and mash to a paste. Add to the skillet along with the remaining chickpeas, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste and stir for 2 more minutes.
   

4. Add the remaining bone broth and cream to the skillet and stir to help dissolve the paste. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.
   

5. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add the spinach and cook for a couple more minutes, until wilted. Taste and add more lemon juice, if desired. Ladle into bowls and garnish each with parsley and a swirl of additional cream, if desired.
   

Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.