Chick Pea & Quinoa Soup

It's that time of year again when soup is- and should be- a mainstay in everyone's diet. It's quick and easy to make, warming and filling, and just plain yummy. Soups in general are one of those things that I don't understand why people buy the canned stuff. I mean, it's probably one of the easiest things to make and is definitely one of the most flexible "recipes" to play with... you can make as much or as little as you like, and it usually holds up well as leftovers.

Chick Pea & Quinoa Soup

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 sm. onion, diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
2 med. carrots, diced
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper, to taste
2 Tbs. tomato paste (feel free to use any other form of tomatoes; I've made this soup with diced tomatoes which turned out quite well)
1/2 cup quinoa
1/4 cup red lentils *optional
1 (14-ounce) can chick peas, drained & rinsed
2" piece of Parmesan rind
2 cups veggie broth (feel free to use chicken broth if you're so inclined, also feel free to use more liquid- I like a thicker finished soup)
1 cup butternut squash, diced
1 sm. bunch of kale, shredded

Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, saute the onion/celery/carrots in olive oil until slightly soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add in all of the spices and tomato paste, stirring to coat, and continue to cook for another minute before adding the quinoa, red lentils (if using), chick peas, Parmesan, and broth. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes before adding in the butternut squash and kale. (Note: I like to wait to add these so they retain some shape and color in the finished soup, but by all means, add them with all the other vegs if you'd prefer.) Continue to simmer until the quinoa has bloomed, and the kale has wilted down, another 10 minutes or so. Fish out the bay leaf and Parmesan rind before serving.

Enjoy!

Marinated Chick Pea Salad

Sometimes, simple really is best.

Marinated Chick Pea Salad

Ingredients:
chick peas, drained and rinsed
cucumbers, sliced into half-moons (I never bother to peel 'em)
grape tomatoes, halved (I had these gorgeous mixed colored tomatoes)
extra virgin olive oil (1 part)
balsamic vinegar (1 part)
feta cheese, crumbled
salt & pepper to taste
oregano or Italian seasoning, to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and allow to set for at least an hour so flavors can meld. Serve as is, or over your favorite salad greens or pasta for a complete meal.

Enjoy!

Quinoa & Chick Pea Salad

Another no-recipe recipe coming at you... the beauty of this particular dish is that you can use whatever fresh produce you have on hand and make as much or as little as you want. (I made enough for 1-2 servings, depending on whether you count it as a side-dish or entree.) This "recipe" lends itself beautifully to swap outs so you can make it with just about anything in your pantry if you don't like quinoa: couscous, bulgar wheat, wheat berries, barley, brown rice, or any short cut pasta.

Quinoa & Chick Pea Salad

Ingredients:
quinoa
cooking liquid of choice (water, vegetable stock, chicken stock... whatever floats your boat)
carrot, diced
shallot, diced
cucumber, diced
roasted red pepper, diced
cherry tomatoes, diced
chick peas, drained and rinsed
extra virgin olive oil
red wine vinegar
any combination of fresh/dry herbs (I used parsley, thyme, basil, pinch of oregano)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
In an appropriately sized pot, cook the quinoa in your liquid of choice, adding the carrots about half through the cooking time. (For my single entree serving, I used 1/4 cup quinoa + 1/2 cup veg stock.)

Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. (I like to make my vinaigrette with 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil.) Stir in the quinoa once it's absorbed all of the liquid and then cooled slightly. Finish with fresh herbs and enjoy at room temperature or, if you have the patience to wait, it's even better after it's been refrigerated for a couple of hours.

Enjoy!

Spicy Potatoes, Cauliflower & Chick Peas

Spicy Potatoes, Cauliflower & Chick Peas

Ingredients:

1 small head of cauliflower, diced into bite-sized pieces

3-5 red potatoes, diced

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 tsp. curry powder (I'm lazy and buy a commercial blend rather than make my own)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. lemon pepper

red pepper flakes, to taste (I only used a pinch)

salt & pepper, to taste

1 (15.5 ounce) can of chick peas, drained and rinsed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower and potatoes in the olive oil and all spices, stirring to coat well. Dump everything out onto a baking sheet in a single layer and drizzle on some additional olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes, until the vegs start to soften and turn golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, stir the cauliflower and potatoes to promote even browning, and add the chick peas to the baking sheet before returning it to the oven for another 8-10 minutes, or until the chick peas are golden brown but not yet crispy.

Enjoy!

Winter Squash & Chick Pea Stew

Winter Squash & Chick Pea Stew

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 pound of squash (recommended: butternut or pumpkin, though I'm sure others would work just as well), diced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground corriander
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste
1 or 2 red new potatoes, diced
1 (15.5 ounce) can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
2-4 cups of vegetable stock (depends on your desired texture/thickness)
4-6 ounces of spinach (fresh or frozen)

Directions:
In a large soup pot over medium-low heat, cook the onion and squash (I used butternut squash straight from the freezer and threw a lid on the pot to sort of steam everything) until softened, about 7-9 minutes. Stir in all spices, making sure the squash mixture is well coated in spice before adding the potatoes and chick peas. Stir to combine, then add enough stock to reach your desired thickness, keeping in mind that the potatoes will absorb some of the liquid as they cook. (I used just over 2 cups for a thicker consistency.) Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are slightly more than fork tender. Stir in the spinach at the last minute, adjust the seasoning as desired, and simmer for another few minutes until the spinach has wilted but still retains its bright green color.

Enjoy!

Creamy Vegetable, Chick Pea & Dumpling Soup

While I am fully aware that the classic dish is usually chicken (or even turkey) and dumplings, in this instance, however, I didn't think ahead to pulling some chicken breasts out of the freezer so I fudged things a little and improvised. But you know what? Some of my best dishes come from just these sorts of situations, and this one was a delightful success. Not as thick as the traditional chicken and dumplings, this particular version had a rich base without being too heavy, thus "soup" instead of a stew. AND, because I don't make dumplings very often, I actually follow the recipe straight from the Better Homes & Garden New Cook Book that I've had since my college days. [insert nostalgic sigh]

Creamy Vegetable, Chick Pea & Dumpling Soup

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs. dried parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried dill
8 ounces of mixed vegs (I've said it before, and I'll say it again- you NEED to keep this stuff in your freezer!)
1 cup tomatoes, diced
2 Tbs. flour
1 cup milk (yes, I used plain soy milk)
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2" piece of Parmesan rind
1 (15.5 ounce) can chick peas, drained and rinsed

2/3 cup AP flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. dried herbs (I used a combination of parsley and dill)
1/4 cup milk (yes, it was soy again)
2 Tbs. vegetable oil

Directions:
In a large soup pot over medium-low heat, saute the onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil until slightly softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in all of the spices and cook for another 3-5 minutes before adding the tomatoes and mixed vegs. Continue cooking for another 5-7 minutes then sprinkle on the flour, stirring to coat the vegs. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly. Raise the heat to medium-high, continuing to stir as you add in the stock and drop in the Parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once the soup reaches a boil, you'll notice it thickening slightly; turn the heat back down to medium-low, stir in the chick peas, and allow the soup to simmer gently for 10 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and herbs. Pour in the milk and oil, stirring just until combined. Once the dough comes together, immediately spoon it by the tablespoonful (you should get 4-6 dumplings out of it, depending on how generous your scoops are) to float on top of the simmering soup. Cover the pot and walk away for 20 minutes. NO PEEKING!

After 20 minutes, test the dumplings for doneness just like you do with baked goods- a toothpick inserted in the center blah blah blah. Like most soups, this one tastes just as good, if not better, the next day.

Enjoy!

Chick Pea & Spinach Saute with Israeli Couscous

Another quick and easy pantry-staple, throw together meal, the ease with which this comes together certainly doesn't detract from it's tastiness. I like to save my more complicated recipes (read: time consuming) for my days off when I have the luxury of lingering in the kitchen to play. On mornings before work, I prefer to put together something a little less complicated but without compromising flavor. This particular dish fits the bill because, again, I always have the necessary components in my pantry/fridge/freezer and it only takes about 15 minutes to cook... just enough time for the coffee to brew while the dog is playing in the backyard. I suppose this would work just as well with lentils or brown rice as opposed to the couscous, but I was going for speed this morning; the couscous won. ;)

Chick Pea & Spinach Saute with Israeli Couscous

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup of onion, diced (from the freezer, remember?)
6 ounces of spinach (fresh or frozen)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 Tbs. parsley (I don't always have fresh, so the dry stuff is perfectly fine)
1 (15.5 ounce) can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn (yes, fresh really is better here)

1 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock
1 cup of Israeli couscous (I like the sturdier texture as compared to regular couscous)

Directions:
In a large saute pan, cook the onions and spinach over medium-low heat until the onions have softened and the spinach has wilted, about 5-7 minutes. Drop the heat to low before adding in the nutmeg, parsley, and chick peas. Continue to cook until chick peas are warmed through, about 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate pot, bring the water or stock to a boil before stirring in the couscous. Cover and simmer on low for 8-10 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

Toss the couscous with the chick pea & spinach mixture, and finish with the fresh basil.

Enjoy!