Hello again my frugal healthy eating friends! Today’s recipe is for a garbanzo (or chickpea) stew. The word “almost” appears in the title because I ran out of curry powder but decided to make the dish anyway with some components that are found in curry powder. Even without coriander and fenugreek, this stew was still flavorful, creamy, and overall a pleasure for the palate. It turns out that turmeric, cumin, and basil can really carry a dish!
It can be tempting to forget about cooking altogether when certain key ingredients that you may have had in mind are missing, but getting creative with whatever you can find in the pantry is always the more frugal (and fun) option. Cooking for me is a way of expressing my creative side, so when a recipe ingredient is missing, I try to see it as an opportunity to improvise and find new combinations that I may not have thought of otherwise. Additionally, it may be a way to help you realize that nothing was missing at all; If the dish still turns out to be fantastic, can you really still say that it’s “missing” something?
Given that garbanzos are the key ingredient of this recipe, I’ve decided to feature them in today’s ingredient spotlight. Read on to learn more about how these legumes may help to change what goes on inside your blood vessels in order to ultimately protect your cardiometabolic health.
Ingredient Spotlight: Garbanzos (Chickpeas)
Chickpeas, like other legumes, are a rich source of insoluble fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein, and phytonutrients. Fiber intake is notoriously low in this country. Given that eating enough fiber is key for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome and reducing chronic disease risk, eating more chickpeas just for the fiber boost is an excellent idea.
Data from studies conducted in both animals and humans demonstrate that adding chickpeas to the diet may help to reduce levels of “bad cholesterol” (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and improve the ratio of “bad cholesterol” to “good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol),” which in turn may help to lower cardiovascular disease risk.
Chickpeas are also a source of isoflavones, primarily biochanin A and formononetin. Based on results from animal studies, biochanin A can lower oxidative stress by increasing the amount of endogenous antioxidant enzymes in the body. In other words, it helps to strengthen the ability of the organism (i.e. the rats in this study, and hopefully us humans too) to reduce oxidase stress. Additionally, biochanin A may help to prevent the activation of pro-inflammatory biochemical pathways in favor of ones that promote reduced inflammation and plaque formation, as well as better endothelial function.
Now, on to the recipe!
This recipe yields 6-8 servings.
Ingredients:
1 29 oz can of garbanzos
1/2 can full fat coconut milk
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1.5 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp brown sugar
1.5 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp basil, dried
4 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tsp salt (to taste)
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup water
2 medium russet potatoes, cubed x 1 inch
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions:
Start by lightly sautéing the pepper, onion, and garlic together with the brown sugar, cumin, and turmeric in the olive oil. After the onion becomes soft and aromatic, add the chopped potatoes and salt, mix well, and let that simmer for about two minutes. Finally, add the garbanzos, coconut milk, basil, pepper, and water. Stir well and cook on low heat until the potatoes become tender. At this point you should turn off the heat, stir in the cilantro, and let the stew cool.
Prep time:
10 minutes
Cook time:
30 minutes
Total time:
40 minutes
Enjoy today.
~Recipe by Michelle Adams @YellowCedarNutrition~
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