Yam Chickpea Spinach Curry

A wonderful, warm and comforting meal. Full of all the goodness for mind and body.

Ingredients

• 1 15oz can chickpeas

• 1 large onion

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 inch ginger

• 1-2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

• 2 15oz cans diced tomatoes

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• 1 tsp. ground coriander

• 1 tsp. ground turmeric

• Salt

• 1 cup yam or sweet potatoes

• 2 cups spinach

• ¼ tsp. garam masala

Directions

• If using canned chickpeas, rinse before using. If you’re using dried chickpeas, soak in water the night before and pressure-cook with salt for about 10 minutes before using for the recipe.

• Sauté onion, garlic and ginger in vegetable broth until translucent, about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add more vegetable stock as necessary, to keep from burning.

• Add diced tomatoes and seasonings except for garam masala.

• Add chickpeas and stir to combine and cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes until tomatoes have broken down, the chickpeas have softened and the flavors meld, stirring occasionally. Add a little more vegetable broth or water as needed if your tomato juice is running low.

• In another pot, gently steam the yams just until tender so they retain their shape, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside.

• Add the spinach to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Cook for another minute or two until it’s wilted and heated through.

• Add yams and stir to combine. Be careful not to break the yams apart by over mixing. Add some garam masala to taste, as desired.

• Serve with fresh rice. 

Vegetarian Chili

Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
30 mins
Total time
45 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tomatoes, diced, (or one can organic diced tomatoes)
• 1 carrot, cut into quarter moons
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 cups cooked or canned red, black or kidney beans
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons organic tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large heavy pan and sauté onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, carrots, chili powder and cumin and sauté for 5 minutes.
3. Slowly add beans, water, tomato paste, and salt.
4. Cook on low to medium heat for 20 minutes.

Notes
Add as many veggies as you like such as bell peppers, zucchini and corn kernels.

Chickpea Burger

A bean burger is a fantastic option when you're trying to reduce your meat intake but still have those persistent burger cravings. In this fiber-rich chickpea burger recipe, I include turmeric for it's amazing anti-inflammatory properties, honey to balance some of the turmeric's somewhat bitter flavor, and panko (Japanese- style bread crumbs) for a bit of crunchiness. In addition to lettuce, you can top with onions, tomatoes, hot sauce, or other additional spices (I like to sprinkle just a bit more turmeric on top for an extra health kick). Since the patties are a bit more crumbly, you can also use pita breads instead of burger buns. These burgers have a unique flavor, are hearty and affordable, and can serve as a healthier end-of-the-week "happy hour" option.

By Jennifer Myong Un Ross

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry chickpeas
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups panko
• 2 tablespoons honey (if possible, consider local honey)
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• Whole wheat burger buns
• 1 head lettuce

Instructions

1. Soak chickpeas overnight. Cook chickpeas for 1 and ½ hours, drain water, mash chickpeas well with fork (it's okay to have some chickpeas that aren't completely mashed), set aside.
2. Cook onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes on medium heat.
3. Add onion, garlic, panko, and spices to mashed chickpea mixture. Mix everything together well.
4. Form patties with the mixture using a medium to large handful, depending on how small or large you want your patties. Note: These are crumbly, so you have to pat these really firmly, and handle with care as you put them on the frying pan.
5. Fry patties on each side on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until golden brown and fairly firm.
6. Serve with fresh lettuce and enjoy!