Happy New Year, readers!
It’s that time of year to strive towards goals, and re-evaluate lifestyle choices. For me, I’ve been incorporating a lot of greens in my diet since I found out I was pregnant last year. Please note, I am not one of those hipster millennials who love kale. I didn’t get what the fuss was about. It’s tough, it can be bitter, and has a rather prickly texture raw.
Until I created THIS – Crispy Garbanzo Beans & Kale! Then, my world changed.
It was an ordinary evening, and I was rushing to making dinner. I had made my pork steaks (recipe here) and needed a quick veggie side. The kale I bought the week before was beginning to wilt hopelessly in the fridge, and I knew I had to bite the bullet and create something with it. THEN, inspiration struck.
I grabbed a can of garbanzo beans from the pantry, drained them, and added them into a skillet with some olive oil and seasonings. Once crispy, I added the kale. After plating I added some parmesan cheese shavings with a veggie peeler. It looked appetizing enough, and once I tasted it, my perspective on kale was changed for the better. My husband loves it too, and he can be a bit skeptical about dark greens.
This dish is a healthy side as is, or you can add in some rice to make it a great lunch or light dinner. I have found adding cooked rice at the end of cooking the garbanzo beans, helped to infuse delicious flavors into the rice. After the garbanzo beans are crispy, I set them aside until the kale has cooked in the same pan.
There you have it! Another creation made under pressure. What is that saying about diamonds? They were just carbon atoms put under a lot of pressure, or something. Anyway, this dish is a diamond, and we have eaten it several times since. I hope it brings full and satisfied stomachs to your next family’s dinner!
Cheers to a healthy 2018!
-HM
Crispy Garbanzo Beans & Kale
Ingredients:
1 Can Garbanzo Beans, drained (aka chickpeas)
1 Bunch of Kale, roughly chopped (I prefer the purple kale with the crinkly edges)
About 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
About 2 Teaspoons Paprika
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Parmesan (optional)
Serves: 4
Time: 15 minutes
Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garbanzo beans on medium-high heat. Season with some salt and pepper. Once the beans start sizzling, add the paprika and cook until the outsides are golden and crisp.
Lower the heat to medium, and add the chopped kale. Again, season with some salt and pepper. Keep a close eye on the kale! It cooks very fast, and only needs 2-5 minutes in the hot pan to be cooked. Over-cooking kale makes it bitter and squishy – BLEH!
Serve with parmesan cheese shavings by using a vegetable peeler, or just add some shredded if that’s what you have in the fridge.
Enjoy!
themondo.life 