I’m totally into beans now. I’m not sure why I’ve never made them more of a centerpiece in my meals, because I’ve always loved the taste, texture, and the fact that they’re such an inexpensive protein.
So here’s my latest favorite bean recipe. It’s super simple, really inexpensive, quick to put together… and oh so tasty. You can mix up the veggies if you’d like- although I’m really loving roasting red cabbage, for a pop of color, and nutrition. And now that Spring is here, asparagus prices are dropping like crazy. Which is fine by me, since I could eat asparagus every single day.
Just make sure you rinse your canned beans to get rid of excess sodium. And then, roast them right alongside your veggies. Not until they’re crunchy, like you often see in snack form. But roasted just about half way, which really brings out the creamy bean goodness.
Roasted Chickpea Veggie Picatta Pasta
1/2 lb. brown rice pasta
8-10 asparagus stems, cut into 2″ pieces
1/2 c. red cabbage sliced
6 baby peppers, cut into rings
1 onion, sliced in half moons
1/2 can chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), rinsed and patted dry
Juice of 2 lemons
1/2 c. vegetable broth
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. thyme
Red pepper flakes to taste (I use about 1/4 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add cut up asparagus, red cabbage, peppers, onion and garbanzo beans onto a rimmed cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are nicely caramelized. Set aside.
While the vegetables are roasting, cook the pasta (if using brown rice pasta, I cook it for 11 minutes, and then rinse it in cool water). Once drained, put the pasta in it’s original pot back on the stove top over medium heat. Add in the lemon juice, vegetable broth and spices and stir to combine. Once warmed through, toss in roasted vegetables. Remove from heat and serve.
Serves 2
Source: dianadarling.net (defunct blog)
