Chickpeas and Spinach Bake
Vegetarian Mediterranean Chickpeas with Peppers and Tomatoes.
Two wonderfully healthy, yet quick and easy vegetarian chickpea recipes with mediterranean style with olives and olive oil, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and onions.
Chickpeas or garbanzos are really good sources of fibre, folic acid and manganese as well as being a good source of protein and rich in minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper and zinc.
Both chickpeas and spinach are wonderful healthy foods, and this tasty dish can be made very quickly and simply if you have some frozen spinach and jars of chickpeas, it's a quick, easy and healthy vegetarian dish.
Chickpeas and Spinach Bake
- 5 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 2 tsps ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 275g frozen spinach or 2 large bunches of washed, fresh spinach
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained or from a jar, washed and drained.
- 1 baguette, sliced
Gently heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, taking care not to overheat it. Fry the onion and the garlic for several minutes, until the onion starts to become transparent then add the tomato, cumin, and paprika. Keep frying for several more minutes.
Add to the frying pan the thawed or chopped spinach and add the chickpeas. If you’re using fresh spinach you might need to add a little water, a few tablespoons should be enough..
Reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is cooked and the chickpeas are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with hot slices of French bread pan-fried in olive oil or garlic bread.
Chickpeas with pepper and tomatoes
This is a simple dish that can be served as a vegetable dish or a light supper dish when served with a green salad and crusty bread.
It's also very good served cold, just stir in some black olives and some more olive oil and you’ve a different side dish to offer.
This is a real Mediterranean diet recipe made with healthy and delicious fresh vegetables - onions, garlic, olives, olive oil, peppers and tomatoes.
- 225g chickpeas (cooked)
- 2 large onions
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 4tbsp olive oil
- 2 green peppers
- 225g tinned tomatoes
- 1 tbsp. tomato puree
- ½ tsp. chilli powder
- salt, pepper
- pinch of sugar
- 2 tbsp. chopped parsley for garnish
Gently heat the olive oil and fry the chopped onion and garlic for about ten minutes until tender. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and slice them thinly then add to the pan, cook for about 5 minutes then stir in the tomatoes, puree and chilli powder and cook for ten minutes more. Add the chickpeas and heat through thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar to your liking. Serve, garnished with the chopped parsley.
