Curried Chickpeas & Greens

Curried Chickpeas & Greens, page 228
with brown basmati rice

Last night, El Hombre worked late, so the girls and I grabbed a bite to eat while we were out at the farmer's market. We joyfully noshed on some garlic sourdough bread, babaganoush, tabouleh, and strawberries while listening to local artist Karen Chisholm, in glorious spring weather. Ah, I love this time of year.

But tonight, it was back to the kitchen. I love it that most of the recipes in Appetite for Reduction are so easy, yet the results are so flavorful. As long as the pantry is kept stocked with a variety of spices (which doesn't have to cost a fortune - shop the bulk section!), it's simple to toss together these exotic tasting dishes.

I love, love, love Indian food, so it's nice to be able to make some of these delicious dishes at home, like this Curried Chickpeas and Greens, or Chana Saag. The first thing you do in this recipe is pop whole mustard seeds in a hot pot, which was a new experience for me. Hey! That was fun! I was a little worried they might burn, but it all turned out fine.

This is a good staple dish to keep in the rotation. Easy, yummy, and a powerhouse of nutrition. I'd like to try it Saag Paneer-style sometime, with cubed tofu in place of the garbanzo beans.