I’m always on the lookout for fast, inexpensive, healthful meals you can cook in one pot. Not much of a cook, I’m delighted to say I have come up with such a combo on my own – chick peas and zucchini – and it’s delicious. An excellent protein substitute for meat, chick peas are also packed with plenty of nutritional goodies. For this recipe I have no exact ingredient measurements. You can add more or less of just about anything. So if you’re a complete kitchen neophyte, wing it on the cautious side. Taste as you go along and you’ll come out fine.
- 1/2 zucchini cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/4” slices.
- big chunk of red pepper chopped in bite size pieces
- 1/2 of onion roughly chopped
- 1/2 can chick peas, rinsed
- about 1/2 of fresh tomato chopped in bite size pieces
- sprinkling of garlic powder or 1 big garlic clove minced
- sprinkling of cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil
The veggies are added to a large frying pan for sautéing as they are chopped, so by the time you’re done chopping, the meal is just about cooked. First slice up the zucchini and peppers. Generously coat the bottom of the frying pan with olive oil. When hot, toss in the zucchini and pepper. Red peppers have the sweetest flavor and look cheeriest, but if you’re a green pepper lover, then toss that in. Sauté under medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Chop up the onion, throw it in.
Rinse the chick peas and add them.
Add salt and pepper, then a light sprinkle of garlic powder (or minced garlic), then sprinkle cumin over the whole shebang. While stirring, check for veggies sticking to bottom. If affirmative add a little more olive oil.
Cook a few minutes to soften up the chick peas. Lastly add the tomatoes a few minutes before the dish is done. If you can’t tell by the zucchini’s translucent look, taste the veggies for doneness.
To finish off the other half of the zucchini and chick peas I usually prepare this same dish two nights in a row. I suppose I could cook the whole thing at one shot, but I like meals freshly cooked, not reheated.
If you’re cooking for two, that’ll polish everything off nicely.
There are other zucchini and chick pea dishes out there but they are more complicated, take longer to cook and designed for multiple diners. Mine is simple and fast for no-fuss diners on their own.
More in our recipe repertoire:
- Rich, Ridiculously Cheap Diet Veggie Soup
- Bring on the Comfort Food Mama
- 103 Recipes to Spark up Packable Lunches
- Cheap Rich Proteins
- Breezy Grilled Meals Easy on the Wallet
- Delicious One Dish Meals for a Song
- Salad Nicoise – Thrifty Jewel of a Summer Meal
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