Chana Masala Recipe with Quinoa

A Chana masala recipe with a quinoa twist! It's already a great tasting chickpea curry, and adding quinoa into the mix will turn this Indian favorite into a complete protein. This dish is easy to prepare and a perfect vegetarian entree.



Ingredients:
15oz can CHICKPEAS
15oz can DICED TOMATOES
1 lg ONION (chopped)
½ cup QUINOA
1 HOT PEPPER (finely chopped)
4-5 cloves GARLIC (finely chopped)
½ cup CILANTRO (chopped)
1 tsp CUMIN SEEDS
1 tsp CUMIN
1 tsp CORIANDER
½ tsp CHILI POWDER
½ tsp TURMERIC
1 tsp GARAM MASALA
2 Tbsp OLIVE OIL
1/8 tsp ASAFOETIDA (optional--really OPTIONAL!!!--don't NOT make this dish because you don't have this ingredient.)
SALT and PEPPER, to taste
1½ cups WATER

In a skillet, heat your oil on med. high heat. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida--the asoafoetida (also called "hing") is OPTIONAL. Stir until seeds brown and crack--this will happen really fast, so don't walk away from the skillet. Add garlic and continue stirring. Add chopped onions and hot pepper. Saute ingredients for 3-5 minutes.
Add turmeric, coriander, cumin, and chili powder. Stir thoroughly into onion mix.
Add quinoa and diced tomatoes.
Stir and allow skillet to come to a simmer.
Add chickpeas (rinsed and drained), salt to taste, and 1½ cups water. Bring skillet to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes (without stirring).
After the 15 minutes, stir in the garam masala. Using a fork, smash half the chickpeas in the skillet--this will add a nice texture to the dish.
Stir in the chopped cilantro.
And that's it. Chana Masala with a quinoa twist.
Hope you like it.

And for another tasty Indian inspired dish, try this Eggplant Curry Recipe.

Falafel Recipe - healthy baked falafel

This baked falafel recipe is a tasty and nutritious way to enjoy chickpeas (garbanzo beans).



Falafel is traditionally fried, but a baked falafel can make a a tasty, healthy, and easy alternative to the tried and true oil-splatter-fest.

Baked Falafel Recipe Ingredients:
1 15oz can CHICKPEAS
1/4 cup CILANTRO
1/4 cup PARSLEY
1/4 cup ONION
2-3 cloves GARLIC
2 Tbsp OLIVE OIL
CAYENNE PEPPER, to taste
1 tsp CORIANDER
1 tsp CUMIN
1/4 tsp BAKING POWDER
1 Tbsp BREAD CRUMBS (or flour)
1 Tbsp LEMON JUICE
SALT, to taste
-- Optional garnishes --
HUMMUS, YOGURT, VEGGIES, PITA SLICES

Drain and rinse 15oz can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Combine in a food processor with all ingredients (except 1 Tbsp olive oil and bread crumbs). Mix roughly--pulse--DO NOT puree into a smooth consistency. Place mixture into a bowl and combine with dried bread crumbs (or substitute flour). Form into discs--I like to get 10 out of this recipe because they cook up well and fit nicely into a pita pocket--but make them as big as you like, and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
(Refrigerate 1-2 hours before cooking if you have the time--they'll bake better, maybe, but it's not the end of the world if you don't. I actually prefer putting them in the fridge for a bit, but sometimes I don't, and the difference is negligible.)
Place on a flat baking sheet and lightly drizzle or brush with olive oil.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, then turn falafel and bake for 10 more minutes to brown each side (a total cooking time of 30 minutes).
Serve with hummus, yogurt, veggies, and pita slices--or stuff inside a pita to make a delicious falafel sandwich.
And that's it, man. Give this baked falafel recipe a try and let me know what you think and bon appetit!

And if you wanna make your own hummus try this Easy Hummus Recipe.

Chole Palak Recipe

Chole Palak is an Indian-style spinach and chickpea dish that’s super flavorful and a breeze to make.  With a few ingredients in the cabinet, this tasty dish is always just a few minutes away.  Thanks for watching and I hope you give it a try.  For more recipe ideas, check out the Chef Buck Playlist:  http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2EFBD7E8FE2BB552

ingredients:

SPINACH  (13 oz can or frozen, or 3 cups chopped fresh)

CHICKPEAS  (15 oz can, rinsed and drained)

TOMATOES  (diced, 14 oz can—or 2 fresh tomatoes)

HOT PEPPER  (1 or 2, minced)

GINGER  (1 Tbsp, minced)

OLIVE OIL  (2-3 Tbsp)

CUMIN SEEDS  (1 tsp)

ASAFOETIDA  (¼ tsp)

CORIANDER  (1 Tbsp)

CHILI POWDER  (1 tsp)

TURMERIC  (½ tsp)

GARAM MASALA  (1 tsp)

SALT (to taste)

directions:

Heat olive oil on medium high heat and add cumin seeds and asafoetida.  The seeds should sizzle when they hit the pan and will brown and crack quickly.  Add the tomatoes, ginger, and peppers.  Mix well and then add the coriander, chili, and turmeric powder.  Mix and allow the tomatoes to cook down 3-4 minutes.  Add the spinach and salt and stir well.  Add ¼ - ½ cup water—I like less water, but add as desired throughout the recipe.  Cover and let cook 3-4 minutes.  Uncover and mix in chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans).  Add another ¼ cup of water, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes.  At this point the chickpeas will be soft enough to smash easily with a fork, which you don’t have to do, but I prefer the consistency of the dish if I mush about half of them.  Add the garam masala and stir another minute or two, also adding more water if desired.  And then that’s that.  Finito.  When I prepare an Indian meal, I almost always serve this dish; it’s easy, healthy, and delicious, so why not?

Give it a try, let me know what you think, and bon appétit!