Rice with Chickpeas and Tomatoes (Vegan)

• Sponsor: Calgary.isGreen
• Author: isGreen

Originally cultivated in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, have spread their culinary influence to areas all over the world. They are featured prominently in Italian, Greek, Indian, Middle Eastern, Spanish and Portuguese cuisine.

This is a great recipe to use when you have friends over to dinner as the flavour has a great familiar ring to it, and the chickpeas compliment it so well that the fact it is meatless does not matter.

One cup of cooked chickpeas contains 269 calories, 45 grams of carbohydrate, 15 grams of protein, 13 grams of dietary fiber, 4 grams of fat and 0 grams of cholesterol. A one-cup serving of raw chickpeas provides 50% of daily potassium needs, 2% vitamin A, 21% calcium, 13% vitamin C, 69% iron, 2% sodium, 55% vitamin B-6 and 57% magnesium. Additionally, chickpeas contain vitamin K, folate, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, choline and selenium.

Besides being an excellent vegan and gluten-free source of protein and fiber, chickpeas also contain exceptional levels of iron, vitamin B-6 and magnesium. Though the most common type of chickpea is a pale beige colour, you can also get them in green, black or red. Experiment with the colors to make a beautiful looking dish that compliments the healthiness of the meal.

Rice with Chickpeas and Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• 1 small chili pepper
• 2 teaspoons Provencal herbs
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup of hot water

Instructions

• Let the chickpeas soak for 8 hours in fresh water. Drain and rinse.
• Put chickpeas in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes without covering.
• Chop green pepper, tomatoes, chili, pre-cleaning the seeds, to desired size.
• Add Provencal herbs to the chopped vegetables.
• Drain the boiled chickpeas.
• Add vegetables and mix
• Add the rice to the pan with the chickpeas and vegetables. Add salt.
• Add hot water and cook over medium heat until cooked rice.
• Serve hot.