Spicy chickpeas with roasted vegetables

I’m usually pushed for time with work, studying, and trying to maintain a good social life balance, so I rarely get more than an hour to get something both prepped and cooked. I’m also making a conscious effort to include more plant-based protein in my diet.

This dish was quick to make – around 25 minutes in all – and has all of the nutrition anyone could need from one meal.

For my protein this time I chose chickpeas. A very popular and versatile legume thanks to its texture, high protein content, and as a rich source of other vitamins and minerals – making it perfect for a vegan lifestyle. It also makes for a great dip (hummus) for raw or steamed vegetables, as an ingredient for salads, in curries, as falafel, or even on a pizza.

There are some misconceptions around the usage of protein, and that its main purpose is to help us get big and muscly. I personally, don’t want to big or muscular. Protein is important in order to help build and repair muscles as well as maintain bone health, and as I go to the gym for regular cardio-strength combination workouts and am relatively otherwise active, I try to make sure I keep it up with a couple of doses a day just to maintain.

But it’s not just for that. We have over 600 muscles in our bodies. Muscles that help push blood around the body, muscles that help our eyes move, muscles that help us sit up straight for long periods of time at work, and more. Protein is important to include in your diet, and it should be consumed every day for those reasons, as well as to feed the neurotransmitters that can help us avoid or treat depression and anxiety.

Chickpeas also contain good amounts of dietary fibre to keep us full for longer and to aid in digestion, B vitamins which individually will contribute to overall health, manganese which is essential for blood clotting and more, plus copper for blood and nerve health.

The sauce

I love making my own tomato sauces. The ingredients are transparent and there aren’t a bunch of unhealthy ingredients thrown in for bulking and preservation. Heating tomatoes releases cancer fighting antioxidants because the heat breaks down the cell walls in order for the body to easily absorb more from them.

You can throw whatever veg you like into the oven and season them up however you fancy. What’s so great about throwing together veg to roast is that nutrition isn’t lost in water, it’s quick and easy and you can abandon it and just keep time, and because you can roast whatever you like how much is spent on the ingredients is really down to the individual. For mine I used sweet potato (parboiled), sweet red, yellow, and orange peppers, red onion, and kale which crisped up nicely.

For this particular sauce you’ll need:

·         Tomatoes – I used around 12 cherry tomatoes and it served two people, but it will cook down the longer you leave it and reduce as much as you want

·         Cayenne pepper

·         Smoked paprika

·         Cumin

·         Ginger

·         Chickpeas

·         White wine vinegar

Just add your clean tomatoes and around 200ml of water to help the tomatoes break down faster. Then add your ingredients and leave it to do its thing for around 10-15 minutes. You can also add some turmeric for those anti-inflammatory properties, or some red wine to add a richness to the sauce.

Cayenne

Cayenne pepper has a surprising nutrition profile. If you can handle a little bit of heat, adding cayenne pepper can contribute to good health in a number of ways, due to its high vitamin A, B6, C, and K content. These vitamins make it a good booster for the immune system and contributor to the maintenance of good eye health. It may also help keep bones healthy and balance sugar levels.

Smoked paprika

Quite mild in flavour, paprika is packed with antioxidants, and contains small amounts of vitamins A, B6, and E which is good for hair, skin, eye, and heart health, the immune system, and reducing inflammation. It also contains iron which assists in keeping energy levels up and helps our immune systems.

Cumin

A very distinct and quite strong flavour; cumin seeds contain antioxidants to fight free radicals, keep the immune system functioning well, balance blood sugar levels, and lower inflammation in the body. It potentially also holds antiseptic qualities.

Ginger

Ginger. Add it to sauces, add it to stews, add it to curries, add it to baking, and even add it to drinks. This versatile spice is a wonderful addition to any kitchen for its abilities to boost the immune system, sooth nausea and sickness, help with digestion, and potentially even help manage cholesterol levels. Every morning I incorporate ginger into my morning routine along with lemon and hot water to get my metabolism going, hydrate myself quickly, and keep my immune system in check.

***If you are thinking about a major diet change, please consult your GP first and do your research***

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