Garlicky Chickpeas with Artichokes & Greens (gluten free, dairy free)

I’ve been making a version of this dish for many years, and what goes into it often depends on my mood and truthfully, whatever ingredients I have on hand. Before we had kids Ben and I would eat it over pasta with lots of freshly grated parmesan, and then we ditched the cheese and pasta and it became our favorite thing to take to the beach when we moved to Hawaii. Lately It’s been one of my go-to dishes for potlucks, and a couple of weekends ago I think it reached a new level when I was making it to take to a friend’s house and discovered that I only had one can of chickpeas (gasp!). So I tossed in quartered artichoke hearts and I have to say that the addition of those liver-healthy nuggets inspired some pretty amazing mouth-sounds from the hostess. True to form I used kale as my greens and added plenty of chopped up bacon, but you can use any hearty green or even spinach and omit the bacon to make this 100% plant based. I usually employ canned organic chickpeas for this recipe because it’s often a last minute deal, but feel free to use homemade beans instead. Either way, I hope you try it and love it!

INGREDIENTS:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

One 14 oz can garbanzo beans rinsed and drained (go for organic and look for a BPA free can) or about 2 cups cooked

4 large cloves garlic, minced

Zest of one lemon

1/4 -1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)

2-3 big handfuls chopped kale, collards, or spinach

6-8 slices of nitrate & nitrite free bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped (omit for plant based)

1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, water drained and hearts quartered

1/4 cup each of chopped fresh cilantro and fresh parsley

Juice of one lemon

1/2 tsp-1 tsp Himalayan pink salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the garbanzo beans and the garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until the garlic is fragrant but not burned.

Add the lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and chopped greens and saute until the greens have wilted.

Stir in the artichoke hearts and bacon and toss gently to combine, allowing the artichoke hearts to warm through. Turn off the heat.

Add the fresh herbs, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Toss gently to combine and do a taste test. Add more extra virgin olive oil if it’s too tart or too dry. Adjust the salt or red pepper flakes if you want more of a punch. This recipe is really delicious and packs a ton of flavor, so if you’re not feeling it then make whatever alterations you need to really love it! Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cannellini, Bacon & Veggie Soup (gluten free, dairy free)

I made this super yummy soup last night for dinner, and I thought I would take a photo of it and share the recipe before I polish off the leftovers for breakfast this morning (I'm eating as I write!).  The boys and I met up with some friends at the beach yesterday while Ben stayed home for some downtime, and as we were driving home at 5 pm I had no idea what we were going to have for dinner.  I remembered that I had recently bought a couple of cans of cannellini beans, and that we still had weekend bacon in the fridge plus leftover fresh rosemary from Thanksgiving, and a big mason jar of homemade chicken stock waiting to be used up.  It seemed like the beginnings of a great soup, and since it's been "chilly" here lately, it just seemed appropriate to make something warm and comforting to eat.  It's healthy, hearty, and full of that umami flavor that I just love.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we did, and if you have any leftovers, it really is a delicious way to start the day.

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

5 stalks organic celery, diced

3 medium organic carrots, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds

5 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 small orange flesh sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes

3 cups organic chicken stock

1 cup water

1 cup finely chopped organic Lacinato kale

1 tsp dried thyme

2 cans organic cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well

6 slices thick nitrate-free bacon, cooked until crispy, then chopped

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

1-2 tsp Himalayan pink salt

Fresh ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium low heat and saute onions until they start to brown.

2. Add the celery, carrots, garlic, rosemary, and sweet potato and saute for another 5-7 minutes.

3. Add the chicken stock, water, kale, and dried thyme. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.

4. Stir in the cannellini beans, bacon, and Italian parsley. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the veggies are fork tender, but don't over cook. You don't want everything to end up super mushy.

5. Add 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt, and check for seasoning. Add more salt if needed. I used 2 tsp total, but it will depend on how salty your chicken broth is to begin with. Add a little black pepper at this point, if you'd like.

6. Ladle into soup bowls, and enjoy! This would be delicious with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese on top, if you eat dairy.