Moroccan chickpea stew

I'm going savory again today with this Moroccan chickpea stew.  I think this is the kind of light-yet-hearty food that suits this seesaw weather we've been having.  I know we'll be able to ditch our boots and put away our winter coats permanently one day soon...but please, hurry!  

A few years ago, I would have definitely considered myself a serious meat-eater.  And now, while I'm no vegetarian, I'm fairly amazed by how much less meat I eat and how much more I appreciate and enjoy vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.  I find myself satisfied with a small portion of meat and savoring all the flavors of everything on my plate.  

This chickpea stew recipe is one that jumped out at me from the Cooking Light Healthy Habits Cookbook because I'm always looking for nutritious yet hearty dishes that are easy to put together. This one fits the bill!  And here again, I come to appreciate how important spices are to our cooking arsenal when it comes to healthy eating.  This chickpea stew gets flavor from cumin, chili powder, and turmeric.  Almost by reflex, I like to toss in some paprika and cayenne for extra heat.  This stew is light - with a tomato-base - but hearty at the same time thanks to some chunks of Yukon potatoes and the chickpeas.  

I think this qualifies as what Rachel Ray would call "stoup", a soup/stew hybrid.  It's not intended to have a lot of broth but you can certainly add more vegetable broth and turn it into more of a soup if you like.  You can serve it with brown rice (and some yogurt), as the recipe suggests, or go with another grain.  Couscous popped into my mind because of the Moroccan theme but I served it with farro.  Adding some grains really turns the stew into a full meal.  The farro is nice and chewy and soaks up the great broth.

Moroccan chickpea stew, with farro and sesame-spiced turkey meatballs

This stew is certainly a great meatless option but I happened to have some leftover turkey meatballs that I thought would go well with it (my husband certainly doesn't mind a little meat to go with all this other good stuff).  I had made sesame-spiced turkey meatballs from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook (thanks, Marie!) the night before and I thought the flavor profiles of the two would go well together.  Molly (at Orangette) dubbed her lamb version "falafel-spiced meatballs" and that title is spot on in describing the flavor.  It paired very well with this stew.

So there's clearly a variety of ways to enjoy this...all on its own, with grains, or even a little extra protein with some meat.  This makes excellent leftovers.  I re-heat it with an extra splash of broth, and you could even add more to turn it into a soup for lunch the next day.  I love it because this is the kind of meal I enjoy eating any time of year.

Recipe:

Moroccan Chickpea Stew
Adapted from the Cooking Light Healthy Habits Cookbook (original recipe can also be found: here)

- Serves 6 - 

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup (about 1 medium) diced yellow onion 
1 cup (about 1 large) diced carrot
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups (about 1 large) cubed peeled Yukon gold potato
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

Optional accompaniments/toppings to serve with stew: Cooked hot brown rice, farro (or other grain), couscous, low-fat yogurt, fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley)

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onions, carrots, garlic, and jalapeno and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add cumin, chili powder, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, and salt, stirring to combine and cook for another minute or so to give the spices a chance to bloom.  Stir in vegetable broth, potatoes, tomatoes, and the chickpeas.  Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and allow stew to simmer for about 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Serve hot with your choice of grains and/or other toppings.

This stew makes great leftovers.  When re-heating, you can add a splash of vegetable broth or water to loosen it up.  You can also add a bit more broth and make a soup out of it, too, if you like.