Moroccan Chickpea Stew & Moroccan-Style Couscous and Chickpeas

I love chickpeas. So much, in fact, that I typically eat them a couple times a week. My favorite way to enjoy them is with couscous, veggies and a Moroccan-inspired flavor. These two dishes, while containing many of the same ingredients, manage to taste quite different from one another. Its hard to say which one I prefer more. I have no idea if they are anything close to authentic (and most likely not) but I don't care, as they are both so good! This absolutely delicious recipe is from Cooking Light (found on myrecipes.) Its super easy and one of those kind of meals where you find yourself excited about the leftovers. (Or at least I did!) The recipe originally called for serving with brown rice, but suggested trying it with couscous, which I definitely think is the better choice. Due to a sensitive little mouth, I seed my jalapeno, and it isn't hot at all.

Moroccan Chickpea Stew
adapted from Cooking Light (they say 6 servings, I say much more like 4)
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (seeded, if desired)
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled Yukon Golds (Several small or 1 large)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
2 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained (you can also just use one)
1 (15 oz.) can reduced sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 cups hot cooked couscous (or brown rice)
plain yogurt (or sour cream,) for serving
cilantro, for serving

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, garlic, and jalapeño to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until tender.

Stir in potato, spices, tomatoes, chickpeas, broth and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Serve over couscous. Top with yogurt and sprinkle with cilantro.

This equally wonderful dish has already been shared on my blog once before, as the stuffing for acorn squash. It was great that way, but I loved the "stuffing" so much, I've made some changes and now make it without the squash. It would make a great side dish to chicken, but in our house, we're just as happy to eat it as an entree along with a baked sweet potato, for a filling meatless dinner. If you have leftovers the next day, its just as good hot or cold.

Moroccan-inspired Chickpeas and Rice
adapted from allrecipes (about 5 servings as a side, 2-3 as a meal)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 3/4 of a large pepper)
1 large carrot, chopped
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 an apple, peeled, cored and chopped (I used fuji)
1/3 cup rasins
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground corriander
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup uncooked couscous
1 cup vegetable broth

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, celery, onion, pepper and carrots. Season with salt and pepper, and cook 5 minutes.

Mix in the garbanzo beans, apples and raisins. Season with cumin, coriander, tumeric and cinnamon, and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.

Add couscous and broth, mix well. Cover and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absord liquid for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.