Kickin' Chick Peas

Freshly washed chicks...

Chick peas, garbanzo beans. Whatever you call them, they rock. I mean, come on, hummus, falafel... Yum! Well, I was getting a bit bored of my everyday snacking (and I wanted something a tad healthier/more filling than Lays) so I decided to fiddle around the pantry. Voila! Crispy, satisfying, and delicious little morsels that can be eaten alone or drizzled with a bit of raita.

Black bean soup

This is one of those great dishes you prep then forget. I like to soak overnight, then let it simmer away, perfuming my house with deliciousness, all day long.

Yield: 6-8 big bowls
Time: about 3 hours (not including bean soaking time... The longer it bubbles away, the more deliciously tender the beans become)
Ingredients:
• 1 med yellow onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 bag dried black breans, soaked overnight and rinsed/water changed several times
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 Tbs cumin, divided
• 1 Tbs paprika
• 2 tsp pepper flakes (I have really yummy jalapeño fakes!)
• 1 tsp (heaping) pepper flakes {I have smoked ones that are great in bean dishes}
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 1/2 qts chicken stock
• a few Tbs oil


Sweat carrots and onion until just tender. Sprinkle paprika, pepper flakes, and about 1/2 of the cumin. Add (drained and rinsed) beans, stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a slow simmer and cover loosely wit a lid. Stir every now and then.
3(ish) hours later...
Taste test time! Adjust salt and pepper, along with other spices. Always salt at the end; salt tends to intensify during the cooking process.
Once you have it just how you like it, soup's on! Add a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of cilantro... ta-da!