Quick Enough for a Weeknight

We’ve all been there, standing in the kitchen after a long day, thinking about ordering pizza. This dish can be whipped up in less time than it takes to have pizza delivered, and will deliver the vegetables and plant-based protein you need. I used romanesco and green beans, but you can use what you have on hand- this would be equally good with cabbage and carrots. Keep canned tomatoes and chickpeas on hand, and you are ready to make a meal.

Quick Meal Tip

As your personal plant-based chef, I’m here to share techniques that help you stramline meal preparation, without losing quality. In this case, canned tomatoes and chickpeas are perfectly good subs for time-consuming prep. Curry powder is another time-saver that sacrifices nothing, when it comes to flavor. In fact, it saves money to have one jar of curry powder and use it before it gets old, instead of four or five jars of spices that languish in the cupboard.

I did use freshly chopped vegetables, but if you were truly rushed, frozen veggies can stand in- just warm them through instead of covering the pan to cook them. A package of frozen mixed vegetables would be about right, or a mix of the partial bags of peas, green beans and other veggies in your freezer.

Black Rice Takes 25 Minutes

You know I love my whole grains, and black rice is a go-to in my kitchen. It’s quicker than brown rice, and doesn’t have the arsenic levels that some brown rice does. The high fiber, nutrient-rich black bran layer looks beautiful on the plate, especially by the golden curry.

This one is a keeper, and you can make it our own, customizing it for your own palate.

Easy Curried Chickpeas with Vegetables

Keyword curry
Servings 4
Author Robin Asbell

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 large jalapenos minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1/2 cup vegetable stock
  • 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice
  • 2 cups cauliflower or romanesco large florets
  • 1 cup chopped green beans
  • 15 ounces canned chickpeas drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1 cup black rice, cooked

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in jalapeno and ginger, saute until softened. Stir in curry powder; cook an additional minute.Add cauliflower and green beans, stir to coat, then add stock and tomatoes. Stir in salt.
    Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.
    Serve topped with cilantro, over black rice.