My Vegetarian Recipe of the Day

This is super fast. It says cook 30 minutes, but I don’t think it really takes that long. As a bonus, it’s also low carb– so, if you’re on the South Beach Diet, it’s perfect for that. You can double it pretty easily, and it ought to freeze well, although I haven’t tried that.

Mediterranean Chickpeas

2 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed
1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted (you could throw in some fresh, if that’s what you have)
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 t crushed red pepper flakes
1 t dried oregano
1 T. lemon juice
salt & black pepper, to taste

Sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until the onions are tender. Add chickpeas, spinach, tomatoes, pepper flakes, and oregano. Cover and simmer for 30 min. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

This recipe comes from The McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook. If you don’t have this cookbook, I highly recommend it. All the recipes are vegan and pretty near fat free. They’re also pretty tasty and very easy.

Black-eyed Pea Scramble

1 15- ounce can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c. frozen chopped hash brown potatoes
1 onion, chopped
3 T. ketchup or vegetarian barbecue sauce
1 t. vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (or you can leave this out or substitute Bragg’s amino acids)
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. thyme
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the peas, potatoes, and onion in a saucepan with water to cover. Cover and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are heated through. Serve stuffed into pita bread, rolled up in a tortilla, or spooned over toasted whole wheat bread or rolls.

We eat this on toast or just by itself. Serve it with a side of your favorite green vegetable or salad, and you have a complete meal.