Sunday's Soup/Chickpea and Kale Stew

The downside of traveling can be the lack of healthy food. While it's fun to splurge a little (I did get some fried oysters in while I was away!), getting back on track always makes me feel so much better. 

A while back, I came across THIS recipe for a Chickpea Stew from Healthier Steps. The blog is written by Michelle who was born in Jamaica. She loves blending European and Caribbean cuisines. Her recipes have been featured in Parade Magazine, The Huffington Post, Epicurious, and many others. 

The stew is DELICIOUS!!! I did make a few minor changes...

My changes are below in red.

• 1 cup chick peas, dry or two-15 ounce cans chick peas, drained
• (I used canned chickpeas)
• 1 tbsp olive oil, (1/4 cup water)
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 tsp dried parsley (1 tablespoon dried parsley)
• 1/2 tsp dried basil (1 teaspoon basil)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups liquid from boiled chickpeas, or water
• 6 cups water
• 1 bunch kale chopped 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper

Whether you decide to add the chopped kale or not, 2 cups of water will not be enough. 4 cups may be sufficient if you don't add the kale, so add a little at a time until the stew is the consistency that you prefer. 

And one last addition, I added a few slices of avocado. Just perfect!

I served the stew with stew on one side of the bowl, and brown rice on the other side, topped with the sliced avocado. We stirred it all together and then dug in!

The stew is, as I said, delicious. It's hearty, satisfying, and yet not too heavy.

Be sure to check out Michelle's blog. There's a page for natural remedies, including a great recipe for a natural orange cleaner. On her recipe page, you'll find everything from main courses to a super tempting recipe for Vegan Pumpkin Donuts. I'm in!!!

Enjoy!
Rhonda