Spinach and Chickpeas

     When I originally started this blog, I didn't want to write.  I simply wanted to share recipes and food - pictures of the food and text for the recipe.  A few months ago, I started making weekly posts about my trips to the grocery store - by far my favorite blog to write each week! Writing has become somewhat therapeutic for me and I enjoy giving others a glimpse of what is going on inside my head.  My plan is to actually write something with each post I make, not just pictures and recipe text.  

     Spinach and chickpeas is such a simple dish.  I made this  for J.T. and I when we first began dating, back in the "Forest Trail" apartment days.  Only recently did I realize that I have never blogged about it.  For those of you who read my previous post about kicking processed food out of my diet, I made this before I decided to make that change  - hence the canned tomato sauce and dry cereal crumbs.  Many times I do not blog about a particular dish that we ate until a few weeks (or sometimes months) later.  Speaking of processed foods, we still have many of them in our pantry - Worcestershire sauce, Lipton onion soup mix, sugar-free jello - just to name a few.  I am on the fence about what to do with these items.  Do I use all my processed foods first, so I am not wasteful or should I just give them away?  

     Back to spinach and chickpeas - take the time to toast the  breadcrumbs and make the breadcrumb paste.  It makes a huge difference and gives the recipe it's distinct flavor.  I served this along side green beans, J.T.'s favorite vegetable (besides potatoes, which do not count!).  For my leftovers at lunch the next day, I spooned the spinach and chickpeas on top of a cornmeal griddle cake.  Very yummy! 

 

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

 

 

  

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried bread crumbs 
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, defrosted
• ½ pound dried chickpeas, cooked, drained, and rinsed (or 2 – 15 ounce cans)
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and stir to coat them with the oil. Let them toast for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cumin, red pepper flakes, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir and toast for an additional minute or until brown and crispy. Remove from the heat. Pour the toasted crumbs into a mortar and pestle (or a food processor). Smash the bread crumbs with the red wine vinegar until it forms into a thick paste (or pulse if using a food processor). Set aside.
2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the spinach, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Sauté the spinach for about 5 minutes. Then add the chickpeas, tomato sauce, bread crumb paste, and ¼ cup of water. Season with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and paprika. Stir, cover with a lid, and cook over very low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Serves 4 as a main dish.

* You may notice that my bread crumbs look funny.  I actually used crushed rice Chex cereal because I was out of my gluten-free bread crumbs.  For this recipe, use bread crumbs if you have them, but a crushed unsweetened corn or rice cereal is just as delicious.  

Turkey Croquettes with 
Spinach Mashers and Pan Gravy

recipe adapted from Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats

Ingredients

• 3 large starchy potatoes, peeled and cubed
• coarse salt
• 1 package (about 1 1/3 lbs.) ground turkey breast
• 2 celery ribs and their greens, finely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 3 tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• 3 tbs. chopped fresh parsley
• coarse black pepper
• 1 egg yolk
• 6 tbs. EVOO, divided
• 2 tbs. brown rice flour
• 2 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 1/2 c. almond milk
• 1 pound triple-washed baby spinach leaves
• prepared whole-berry cranberry sauce to pass at the table

Directions

1. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water.  Put the  lid on the pot and bring the water to a boil.  Salt the water and cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes.  
2. While the potatoes cook, make the croquettes.  Place the turkey in a bowl.  Add the celery, onion, poultry seasoning, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, and egg yolk.  Combine and form 8 patties.  Heat 2 tbs. of EVOO in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Cook the patties for 5 minutes on each side.  Remove the croquettes to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.  Reduce the heat under the skillet.  Add 2 tbs. of EVOO to the skillet and heat through, then whisk in the flour.  Cook the roux for a minute or two.  Whisk in 2 cups of the chicken broth and bring to a bubble.  Thicken for a minute or so and turn off the heat.  Season the sauce with salt and pepper.  
3. Drain the cooked potatoes and return to the hot pot.  Add the remaining 2 tbs. of EVOO, the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth, and the almond milk.  Mash and season the potatoes with salt and pepper.  Fold in the spinach leaves until they all wilt into the potatoes.  
4. To serve, pile the spinach mashers on a plate and top each portion with 2 croquettes and a spoonful of gravy.  Pass the cranberry sauce at the table.  Serves 4.