One item I had never tried before becoming vegan is garbanzo beans or chickpeas. Wow, was I really missing out.

With a few spices and combinations, the legume is delicious.

This dish with spinach and garlic not only tastes great, but it’s easy, quick and tough to mess up in the kitchen.

You can enjoy not only the taste of chickpeas with garlic and greens, but the health benefits as well. The garbanzo bean is part of the legume family, which, if you are a regular reader of this column, you know are high in fiber and will lower your cholesterol.

The great thing about this dish is it can stand on its own or you add a couple of sides that will really rock your dinner table. Try cooking up some brown rice and kidney beans and make some cole slaw and then mix it all together and you have a hot/cold meal with a very unique taste.

Give it a try and enjoy that vegan thing.

 

CHICKPEAS WITH GARLIC AND GREENS

 

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 pinch of dried pepper flakes

1 pinch of sea salt

1 large bunch of fresh spinach

2 cans of organic chickpeas in water

 

Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for about 5 minutes or until soft. Mix in pepper flakes and stir briefly. Then drain chickpeas and pour into the pan. You will want to cook this for a minute and add 1 cup of water.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding more water if the mixture starts to become dry.

Add spinach, toss gently, cover and allow spinach to cook and then wilt for 5 minutes until tender.

 

Jeff Peterson anchors the 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. news on WGME-TV.