feel food club

chickpeas

Super Green 20-Minute Curry

by Kommentar verfassen

The temperatures are sinking and it’s getting colder outside. The time for cozy sweaters and comfortable evenings with hot chocolates is coming. Finally! Isn’t it one of the best times of a year? I do believe so (at least when you don’t have to go outside)! But also when it’s not warm outside you want to have something warm on the inside and you can best get this with a warm, comfortable dish. 

A big bowl of pasta, some good soup, a pot roast or even a curry. I love a good curry at this time of the year, especially when it’s spicy, it really gets me warm and makes me have a comfortable feeling. But I don’t only love curries in the winter to be honest, they are one of my favorite dishes of all. They are so flavorful, versatile and super nutritious. With a hearty side such as rice, quinoa or naan they make a perfect balanced meal.

Also, I really love the different colors you can have when making curries. It feels like eating the rainbow and they are all the same but different in flavors at the same time. You can make them spicy, mild or without any spice at all, you get basically add whichever vegetables you like, and eat it with whatever side you like. 

In this Curry I added three different greens as I think especially in this time of the year when comfort meals are in focus, it is hard to get all the veggies in an eat balanced meals. The great thing with veggies in curries is, that even if you don’t like the taste of a single vegetable a lot, it won’t matter that much since they are going to absorb a lot of the flavor of the curry paste. So you can be generous with the vegetables you add in. Just be careful, since they might have different cooking times. 

As a protein source I used chickpeas in this recipe because I decided to go for a vegan version. But again, it is very versatile. If you want a meaty version you can add in chicken, lamb, or beef, if you are craving fish, feel free to add salmon, mixed fish, or prawns or if you want to go for something plant based but don’t like chickpeas it don’t have them in hand, it works great with tofu too. Since the chickpeas are already pre cooked I add them at the end, but if you use something like chicken that is not cooked beforehand, make sure to add it before the vegetables so it will get completely cooked through. 

I like to serve mine with a side or rice but really any carb works. This curry is really great for meal prep too, I actually believe that it intensifies the flavor of you keep it in the fridge for one or more days. I also like this dish as a weeknight dinner because it is really simple and quick when you don’t feel like cooking after a long day. I hope that you will enjoy it and I would love to see it if you recreated to be sure to tag me with @uneptcuisiniere or with #unepetitecuisiniere on Instagram and leave a comment! 

Print

Super Green 20-Minute Curry

A great comforting dish for any weeknight dinner or as a perfect meal prep dish. Warming, nourishing and super delicious! The best part? – It only takes 20 minutes!

Course lunch, Main Course
Cuisine thai
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 15 Minuten
Total Time 20 Minuten
Servings 2 people
Calories 473 kcal

What you will need

  • 100 g rice
  • 200 ml water
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 50 g green curry paste you can use homemade or storebought ones, whichever you prefer or have on hand
  • 150 g Brussel Sprouts
  • 200 g Cauliflower
  • 1/2 Zucchini
  • 200 ml Light coconut milk
  • 100 ml water
  • 100 g canned chickpeas rinsed
  • 2 handful spinach
  • Cilantro for garnish

How to

That is how it works:

  1. In a pot add the rice along with 200ml of water and a generous amount of salt. Bring it to a boil and then reduce to a very low simmer and cover with a lid. Let it simmer for about 12-15 minutes without lifting the cover.

  2. Meanwhile half the brusselsprouts, and cut both the zucchini and cauliflower into small chunks. In a non-stick pan heat up the oil. Once hot add the curry paste and gently stir until it is all combined with the oil. When adding the paste before the vegetables the flavors get even more intense.

  3. Next, add the veggies except the spinach. The zucchini has a slightly shorter cooking time, so if you do not want it to get extra soft then add it maybe 3-4 minutes later. If you do not mind or actually like it, as I do, just add it now with the brussel sprouts and cauliflower.

  4. Fry them for about 3 minutes then pour the coconut milk and the water on top. Stir until the curry paste from the veggies and the sauce is well combined. Let this simmer for about 8 minutes and then add in the precooked chickpeas and the spinach. The greens will wilt down so do not worry if they seem huge at first! Let it all simmer for another 5 minutes. Salt it if necessary, this depends on your curry paste.

  5. By now the rice should be done too. Fluff it up with a fork so it gets nice and soft. Seperate it onto the plates and add the curry too! Top it with a little cilantro and some crushed peanuts if wanted.

    Serve and enjoy!

Creamy Pesto Rice with Roasted Fall Veggies and Crispy Chickpeas

by Kommentar verfassen

I am a huge fan of pesto, when made freshly and in season. We make it a lot in summer. Pick the basil from out herb garden, use olive oil our neighbors made themselves from their trees in Croatia, add some good Italian Parmesan cheese, some delicious pine nuts and a pinch of salt. That’s at simpel as it is and that’s why I love it! So few ingredients, so much flavor! But now it’s October! And unfortunately it’s getting colder and there is no way for the basil to grow in our garden. Still, we all love pesto and want to enjoy it and that’s why I decided to add a little twist to it! 

This pesto recipe is not like the traditional Italian one but it is as delicious! It is made with fall ingredients. Instead of the basil I decided to use Swiss chard, and the pine nuts are substituted for almonds. I kept the Parmesan cheese and the olive oil because I believe that these really make the pesto taste like pesto and make it insanely addicting. To make it you simply have to roast the nits a but because that enhances the flavor, and then blend it up with the Swiss chard and a pinch of salt. Yes, that’s right, only those three ingredients! NEVER blend pesto with the Olive Oil and the cheese. That’s just not how it’s done. At least not in Italy. After blending, the Olive oil and Parmesan are stored in by hand, one by one, slowly. This makes it really creamy instead of mushy! 

Pesto is also great in nutritional value! Although it is quite high in calories it is super healthy! The greens provide you with a lot of minerals, vitamins, and fiber! The nuts add some healthy fats and a protein kick as well as other nutrients! The olive oil also provides you with some more healthy fats, which help you absorb the proteins better and the cheese gives some essential protein. So if you love pesto, here’s another reason to add in on everything. But honestly, I believe that this recipe doesn’t only work great in this dish but also you can totally add that pesto on top of scrambled eggs, into pasta, on top of toast, or whatever is on your mind! 

For the grain as carbohydrates I decided to use white rice. If you want to make it even healthier use whole grain/ brown rice but it is quicker when using white rice since it doesn’t have as long cooking times! If you do not like rice at all but still want to tray making this recipe you can substitute it for another grain! Pasta or Quinoa would work great too! Together with the pesto, the rice gets really creamy, kind of risotto-ish but not completely. Adding pesto if any sauce to rice is such a great way to spice up things a little and get your traditional plain rice to a mouthwatering dish! 

So, now we have the rice and the pesto… but what even is a bowl without some toppings and crunch. With the vegetables you can really feel free to add whichever are your favorites. I used cauliflower and brussel sprouts because they are in season now. Also, the brussel sprouts add some more greens into the dish and I love using the cauliflower because it is a great vegetable which can easily take on the favor of the spices! That way you can really taste your seasoning! Drizzle a little olive oil on top and roast them until crispy! This also works really great for meal prep if you just want to roast a big bunch of vegetables in the beginning of the week!

The chickpeas are coated with a great amount of spices and a good amount of olive oil! The oil is necessary in order to get a crunch and to intensify the flavor. If you want to make them extra crispy, pan fry them, but they are also super delicious when made in the oven plus you don’t have to wash an extra dish! So it’s a win win! 

When it’s all put together it just makes such a bomb combination! The creamy rice (if you want to make it extra ? add some more fresh Parmesan cheese on top!), the hearty roasted vegetables and the crispy chickpeas just make such a great combo! It is such a great comfort meal with such delicious fall meal packed with local and seasonal ingredients! A perfect mid-week dinner and great for meal prep! I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I do! 

Print

Creamy Pesto Rice with Crispy Chickpeas and Vegetables

An ideal weeknight dinner with a delicious twist on traditional pesto with crispy chickpeas and roasted veggies!

Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Cook Time 25 Minuten
Total Time 40 Minuten
Servings 2 People
Calories 635 kcal

What you will need

  • 100 G Rice
  • 100 g Chickpeas caned, washed & rinsed
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 handful sage
  • 180 G Brussel Sprouts
  • 180 G Cauliflower
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 Tsp Paprika Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Chilli Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder

For the Pesto:

  • 2 stalks Swiss Chard
  • 20 g Almonds
  • 20 g Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1,5-3 tbsp Water can sub for olive oil for even more flavor
  • 1 tsp salt

How to

That‘s how it works:

  1. Roast the almonds in a non stick pan over medium high heat for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  2. Into a food processor add the almonds, the Swiss chard and the salt and pulse until combined! Pour the mixture into a bowl and alternately add the grated Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and water into the mixture until it gets all creamy and rich! If you want to make it all Italian, you can only add olive oil, but I decided to make it a little lighter so I mixed it with water.

  3. In the meantime preheat the oven to 180C. Wash and rinse the brussel sprouts and cut them in half. In a bowl combine them with about 1/2 tbsp of Olive Oil and the balsamic vinegar. Spread them onto a third of a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

  4. Cut of the cauliflower into smaller pieces. Add them into a bowl, along with chili, paprika, and turmeric, 1/2 tbsp of olive Oil and salt. Combine them all and place on another third of the baking tray.

  5. Wash, drain and tap the chickpeas dry for extra crispyness. Add the Olive oil, sea salt, and finely chopped up sage into a bowl along with the chickpeas and toss it. Add them to the remaining third of the baking tray and bake everything for 20-25 minutes!

  6. In the meantime cook the rice according to package instructions. About 3 minutes before it being done, add the pesto into the pot, keeping 1 tabslespoon aside. When done, stir it all together and you will see that the parmesan cheese has melted and it is all creamy.

  7. By now the vegetables and chickpeas should be done and crispy too!. Seperate the rice and onto two bowls. Top them with the vegetables and chickpeas and drizzle the remaining pesto on top. Grate some fresh parmesan for the finishing touch and enjozy!