Moroccan Garbanzo Bean and Carrot Stew

Amazing flavor! Oil-free. 

Credit to The Vegetarian Table: North Africa by Kitty Morse...and to my friend Neca :)

Ingredients: (conversions not verified by my kitchen scale, yet)

1 large onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, pressed

12 cilantro sprigs, chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric powder (or curry powder) - and if you have the root available: awesome!

3/4 tsp cinamon

dash cayenne powder

3 large carrots cut to bite-size pieces

3 c (2 cans) chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), drained, reserve aqua faba (liquid in can)*

1/2 tsp pepper

*for low sodium: soak own chickpeas, buy no-salt added, or rinse chickpeas and use water instead of aqua faba

Directions:

-Heat pan to medium-high.

-Add onion. Cook for about 5 min. Stir occasionally. (No oil needed. Add a little water as-needed to prevent sticking.)

-Add garlic, cilantro, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, and carrots, and some of the reserved liquid.

 - - Add more liquid as needed; should be saucy, not soupy.

-Decrease temp to medium and cook until carrots are tender, approx. 15 min.

-Add garbanzo beans and pepper. Heat through.

Yummy with quinoa or brown rice or on top of a bed of greens.

MOCK TUNA FISH SALAD

This is a family-favorite, and my 13 year-old son often requests it. It's so easy to make. The nori sheet can be annoying, though. It's probably easiest to rip it all up into tiny pieces, but I like to pulverize the pieces into flakes. The Bullet blender I use creates so much static electricity that when I go to pour the flakes into the bowl, they "jump" out and away from the bowl and onto the counter (and me!). I am extra careful and use a spatula to slowly and gently scoop the flakes into the bowl.

Estimated protein for dish: 24 g
Estimated fiber: 23 g

Recipe

(conversions not verified by my kitchen scale, yet)

1 can (15.5 oz) (439g) Garbanzo Beans

1 T (15 ml) Tahini

1 T (15 ml) Lemon Juice

1/2 Nori Sheet ripped up or pulverized

1/4 tsp (1.42 g) Salt

1.5 T (21 g) sweet pickle relish

Put all ingredients into a bowl and mash them together. 

{You can substitute the tahini and lemon juice with a vegan mayo such as Veganaise. It's good but not as nutritious... but way better than animal-based mayo, for sure!}

Image credit: Pumpernickel Press

Something else I didn't know: Fish feel pain. The hook they are tricked into eating hurts. While trying to breathe, they suffer and drown in our atmosphere like we would suffer and drown in their environment. And sadly, they are often alive when cut open and gutted. Their brain and nerves feel that pain.

Good news: We don't need to eat them to survive (unless you live in a region where fish are the only source of food). Plant protein is much healthier and provides fiber. With all of the contaminants fish muscle absorbs, we definitely don't want to be consuming them anyway. And if you are concerned about getting your omegas, get them from where the fish get them: PLANTS!

By ceasing to eat fish, the marine life thanks you and the exploited* oceans thank you.

*The news today reports that fish may be extinct by 2048