Move Over, Meat — Welcome Meatless Monday

Sometimes you need a little less meat in your life. I stumbled across BuzzFeed Food, which is a winning combo because I like BuzzFeed just as much as I enjoy food, so can’t go wrong there. This recipe was under five dinner options to make from one grocery list (quinoa & carrot ribbon salad,  spaghetti squash with bacon, goat cheese and spinach . . . have I tempted you to look yet?). I like sage, I love kale, and the idea of Meatless Monday is starting to become a routine in my cooking. It was easy enough to pop the sweet potato in the microwave and then let the chickpeas, onions and kale roast in the oven after tossing them with agave and sriracha. If you really can’t make it meatless, let (a smaller serving) pair with with steak, roasted chicken or pork chops. Otherwise, enjoy your Crispy Sage Chickpeas over Sweet Potato Mash just as it is.

Ingredients (serves 2).

• 1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried
• 1/4 of an onion, chopped into large chunks
• 1/4 c fresh sage leaves, chopped and loosely packed
• 1-2 t light olive oil
• 1/4 t garlic powder
• Dash of sriracha
• 1/4 to 1/2 t agave nectar
• Ziplock bag
• 7-8 very large Tuscan kale leaves, washed and despine (how to easily remove the stems here)
• 2 c baby spinach
• 2 sweet potatoes, washed
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil (or parchment paper or a Silpat mat).
2. In a large ziplock, toss the chickpeas and onions chunks in 1 t oil (leave out the other 1 t) with sage leaves, garlic, sriracha and agave. Evenly spread out on the baking sheet and bake for 10-15 min. Stir and then bake for an additional 10 min or until chickpeas are becoming crispy.
3. Cut kale into 1 inch pieces. While the chickpeas cook, using the same ziplock  bag, toss kale and spinach.
4. Remove pan with chickpeas and add kale and spinach. Bake for another 3-5 min.
5. Meanwhile, pierce sweet potatoes with a fork and microwave on high for 3 min. Rotate and cook for another 2-3. Remove skin and mash. (You can leave the skin on but you’ll have to cut the sweet potato up before mashing.) If the sweet potato seems a bit dry, add light olive oil and mix into the mash.
6. Dish up mashed sweet potatoes on the bottom of a bowl. Top with kale and chickpeas and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with remaining sage leaves.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Adapted from Christine Bryne’s “Sage and Maple-Roasted Chickpeas with Crispy Kale and Sweet Potato Mash” on BuzzFeed Food.