March 25, 2014

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.









38 comments:

  1. Wow!
    Would love to make this for dinner tonight. we love chickpeas and this looks perfect!

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    1. Thanks, Asmita. I wish I had some more stashed in the fridge. It's great alone and alongside other things.

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  2. Chickpeas are so versatile. What a delicious idea to serve it with the turkey meatballs. Cheers!

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  3. Yay! So glad you liked those meatballs, and I love the pairing with this stew. Sounds delicious!!

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    1. I've wanted to make the meatballs since you shared the recipe, Marie! I knew it would be good if you said so and you didn't fail me. : )

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  4. I feel the same as you. I'm starting to experiment more with lentils and feel satisfied with less meat on my plate. This sounds like an ideal dinner for me, I wouldn't mind making this soon!

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    1. I adore lentils, Aimee. It's great with just an egg on top. :)

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  5. What a hearty and comforting bowl of stew Monica - perfect for this chilly weather that just won't go away. I don't eat much meat anymore either and really love the sound of all the chickpeas and veggies in here along with the spices. I really like that you paired this with farro too which I would love to try one of these days:)

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    1. I find that I do need a little bit of meat still but a lot less than I used to eat without even thinking twice. I think you'd love farro since you like oatmeal and whole grains; it's so nutty and chewy. Thanks and hope all is well with the baby!!

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  6. Oh yes, this stew looks delicious. I have wanted to try some chickpeas I have in something new other than hummus; thanks for the great idea Monica!

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    1. I love all these great ingredients like chickpeas that are filling yet nutritious, Jessica. I've been making the chickpea & black-eyed soup a few times and wanted to mix things up too.

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  7. The stew looks very tasty, Monica. Chickpeas are so versatile and good for you.

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  8. I love chickpeas and use them all they time. And, they are fantastic in soup - I love the way they hold up so well! This dish looks amazing! Cooking Light is one of my favorite magazines!

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    1. I so agree. I've been making a chickpea and black-eyed pea soup with parsley and we love that. And yes, Cooking Light is probably my favorite food magazine.

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  9. I'd go for this "stoup", Monica. No extra broth needed. Looks perfect this way! :) ela

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  10. I love stoup! It's funny because we eat less and less meat all the time, but now when we do have it, especially my husband, it's really appreciated. Love this veggie combination.

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    1. I think we appreciate foods like meat more when we don't just shovel it in? I love stoup now, too. : )

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  11. What a lovely stoup you made! It looks really delicious and I think it paris wonderfully with the meatballs and farro. Can't wait to try!

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    1. The farro (or some grain) is like a must and the meatballs are a bonus for anyone interested. Thanks, Consuelo.

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  12. I love how chunky this is! I've been on a chickpea kick lately so I would definitely be down with a big bowl of this! I can't wait to put my winter coat away - we took our dog for a walk last night and had to wear scarves and gloves - I've had enough!

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    1. The wind is howling today and literally blowing my hat off. Sigh...more stoup for us until this winter blows over.

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  13. Such a delicious stew...like the spices in it...delicious and healthy!
    Hope you are having a fabulous week Monica :D

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    1. Having a cold week but can't complain, Juliana. Thank you.

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  14. I find myself making stews like this quite often. I have a vegetarian daughter and sometimes it's so hard to make two dinners. Like you said, sometimes I make meatballs or sauté chicken on the side and we have this stew. It's great in couscous.
    Your version looks fantastic as do those meatballs. I have those glasses too :)

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    1. Thanks so much, Nazneen. I can imagine how hard it must be to have to cook separately for your daughter. A big vegetable stew or soup with meat on the side makes sense...there's just lots to cook when there is more than 1 person involved. Don't you feel like we are constantly grocery shopping and/or cooking. I'm glad we like to cook! : )

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  15. I love stoup! I'm a big meat eater but also try to go vegetarian for some meals. I just feel better eating this way. This looks great!

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    1. This recipe totally has me thinking about more stoup options. I also still need and enjoy meat but I really appreciate and enjoy the veg, fruit, whole grains so much more now. It makes for a better eating experience and I feel better too, like you said.

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  16. Well you know I'm a fan of eating vegetarian! The flavors in this soup sound amazing. So warming!

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    1. The funniest thing is I never noticed for the longest time that you were a vegetarian; your food never seems like it's missing anything. I'm learning and eating well like this leaves room for treats. : )

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  17. I love the idea of a hearty vegetarian meal every so often and this is definitely up my alley! Looks healthy but delicious. I'll have to keep this on file for when the temperature dips.

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    1. A cool salad doesn't cut it on those freezing days..but luckily, I think it'll finally warm up for good here (I hope). : )

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  18. There are some ingredients that I see often and plan to try (but haven't), and chickpeas are one of them. Since Japanese food don't really use it, I'm a bit clueless in terms of how to use them. I like the idea of this stew. Looks very wholesome and delicious!

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    1. I know what you mean. Growing up eating a lot of Chinese food, there are so many other different ingredients I want to try. It's definitely worth exploring a bit at a time...

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  19. A hearty, tomato-based soup is my favorite kind. Sounds like this is one I should def make before the weather warms up too much (although hopefully that will be soon!!!)

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    1. It's nutritious, too, Amy...and you need lots of healthy meals. : ) Thanks for checking in..take care now!

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