make | MOROCCO | pea & winter greens tagine

Another tagine this week, although mellower, less bold flavours than before.  This has the comfort-factor too - when it's cold and you fancy something hearty for dinner, warm this up and you'll feel good in no time.  It's also very healthy, packed with veggies and super duper easy to cook.  We made this in between studying, all it takes is bung some things into a pot, go upstairs and hit the books, come back and bung some more things in, review what you were reading and hey presto - dinner's done.  It tastes super with some warm crusty bread (or toast if you're really skint!)

We're using spinach in this recipe, but you could use any finely shredded winter greens - kale, collards, beetroot greens, chard - anything would be good, and equally up your phytonutrient content!

Chickpeas are delicious - nutty, slightly buttery and they give you the carb hit we all want in winter without eating a plateful of pasta.  But they're also a great source of fibre, and protein if you're a vegetarian.  A little known fact about chickpeas - one cup will give you nearly 85% of your RDA of manganese, great for antioxidant defence and energy boosting.  They also have a high iron content, and, good news for us girlies, they have a phytochemical called 'saponin' which could be a factor in controlling the risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis.  Crack open those cans of chickpeas!!

Enjoy today!!

- rosinaviolets    x

Pea & Winter Greens Tagine 

400g drained weight chickpeas (2 tins) 

100g dry yellow split peas, soaked for 45 mins in water

75g sultanas, soaked for 20 mins in water 

1 large onion 

3 minced garlic cloves 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1 teaspoon cumin seeds 

1 teaspoon ground ginger 

1 teaspoon ground turmeric 

1/2 teaspoon (or more, or less, to taste) chilli flakes 

600ml vegetable stock 

350g frozen peas

half a bag of spinach (or other winter greens of your choice!) 

3 tomatoes, chunked 

1/2 bunch each of coriander & mint, chopped 

• Soak the yellow split peas in water for around 45 minutes.  Soak the raisins for 20 minutes.  

• Add a little stock to a large pan and get it hot.  Add the onion and garlic and steam fry in the stock for two minutes.  Then add the spices.  Give it a whiff - it'll be smelling brilliant! 

• Add the rest of the stock, and bring it to the boil before adding the drained split peas.  Lower the heat until the mixture is simmering on the stove.  Leave it for about 45 minutes.  

• Add the raisins to the pot, then the chickpeas and winter greens.  Leave for a further 10 minutes.  

• Now add the frozen peas and tomatoes.  Bubble away for another 10 minutes (best not to leave it now as you don't want it to get too dry - add a little water if it starts to stick).  

• Take the tagine off the heat and season to taste.  Sprinkle over the chopped herbs.  Serve in a bowl with some warm crusty bread.