chickpea saute with greek yogurt

This week has been an exercise in limitations.
After one too many recipe failures, unnecessary messes (both literally and figuratively), moments of stretching myself thin and subsequently a few too many sessions of eating my feelings, I decided to take a break for a day or two before venturing back into the kitchen. Plus, it was just a good excuse to get Chipotle for dinner.
When I was ready to return, I didn’t do so with some lofty, challenging dish, but instead with a simple and quick one that had been nudging at me ever since I first saw it in the cookbook, Plenty. It was the perfect dish to welcome me back — easy, filling and kind to my belly. And with the way things have been lately, we could all use a little more kindness.


I could drone on and on about how amazing this dish tastes — how the texture of the blanched chard is a perfect pairing to the hearty chickpea, how the sweetness of sauteed carrots plays well with caraway seeds and lemon juice, how mint and cilantro make just about anything taste better and, of course, the dollop of Greek yogurt on top helps, too. But I don’t want to give away too much and I’m still easing back into the swing of things.

So, I’ll leave you with this: If you don’t make this dish, that’s cool. Life will continue on as it does. But if I were you, I wouldn’t limit myself in this case. You can save that trip to Chipotle for another night.

P.S. I’ll leave you with this, too. Because he’s cute and stuff.
Chickpea Saute with Greek Yogurt
Adapted from Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London’s Ottolenghi
Yields: 2 main dish servings, 4 side dish servings
Ingredients:
1 bunch (about 8 cups or 3/4 lb) Swiss chard, leaves removed from stems
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for garnish
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Toss in a small handful of sea salt, then add Swiss chard stalks. Blanch stalks for 3 minutes, then add leaves and blanch another 2 minutes. Drain and rinse chard under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels, then transfer to a cutting board and chop roughly. Set aside.
In a large skillet or saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots and caraway seeds and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chickpeas and chard; cook another 6 minutes. Add garlic, herbs, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat; add more salt or pepper, if desired.
Stir together Greek yogurt, olive oil and some salt and pepper. Transfer chickpea mixture to a serving plate and top with yogurt mixture, an extra drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of black pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Plenty is one of my favourite books – I always find it so inspiring especially if I’ve been in a bit of a recipe-failure rut. This is really lovely.
Love this! So pretty, so healthy and just perfect!
Kathryn — I completely agree — it’s a good one like that ๐ Thank you, dear!
Tieghan — Thank you, dear!
Sometimes you just need to step away for a little bit, good for the soul! This looks so bright and fresh…just like the spring weather that is supposed to appear today! What a great week night meal!
I think we all need a break from recipe development, we are not like Thomas Keller! I love simple recipes the most; Basics everyone has that you throw together in one pan and it just ALWAYS works (no matter how tired you are).
We do not have chard here in Australia at the moment but would a bitter cabbage or kale work in this too?
I freaking love chickpeas and consider them to be a secret kitchen weapon and vehicle for all kinds of flavors. I know I’d take down that entire skillet! Great call with the Greek yogurt too. Yeah, you rocked this.
Gosh this is gorgeous Steph!!
First I love Chipotle for those nights you just don’t feel like cooking. The burrito bowls are my favorite! I have seen this recipe in the Plenty and been eyeing it up for some time. It looks delicious–I love the flavors!! You inspired me to give it a try.
Lisa — Oh I hope today is just as bright and fresh! ๐ Thank you!
Belinda — Oh, to have the energy and creativity of Thomas Keller! ๐ You could definitely use kale, or a combo of spinach/arugula in place of the chard. The flavor might not be quite the same but it will still be tasty!
Erin — I deeeeefinitely struggled to share this with my husband… I really wanted to eat the whole thing! ๐ Thanks!
Claire — Oh thank you so much, friend! ๐
Julia — You should definitely try it! It’s one of the first recipes I’ve tried from the book and I have a feeling there are many more in there that I’ll love. And YES to Chipotle burrito bowls — always a good option. ๐
I love how colourful this is! Yum!