toasted chickpeas & chorizo over spinach

I swear this man can make anything sound good. I love his down-to-earth, yet exciting recipes like the lentils with curried tarka I made a while back. I actually can’t believe I don’t have “How To Cook Everything” yet, but the vegetarian version is on my Amazon wish-list. I paged through a copy and loved the sound of the recipes as well as the idea of eating “vegan until 6:00 pm.” I strive to follow a similar mantra.

With that said, this recipe needed a major make-over. A bed of fried spinach topped with fried chickpeas and chorizo? Mark, please. I know that it may have never been your intention to claim this as a “healthy” recipe, but drenching everything in oil, does not a good dinner make. So I worked my nutritionist magic and revised the recipe to a bed of wilted spinach and red pepper topped with toasted chickpeas and chorizo. Just as flavorful and so much healthier. I promise.

Toasted Chickpeas & Chorizo over Spinach adapted from Mark Bittman at The New York Times

• 2 links chorizo, sliced
• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and dried
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1 bag of spinach (5 oz), roughly chopped
• cilantro (optional)

Heat pan and add chorizo. Cook until lightly browned and set aside. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to pan and add chickpeas, cooking until lightly toasted. Set aside with chorizo. Add last 1/2 Tbsp olive oil to pan and add pepper and spinach. Take off heat once spinach has wilted. Season with salt & pepper and serve chickpea and chorizo mixture over spinach. Top with cilantro if desired.

Related posts:

1. sweet potato, spinach & chorizo soup
2. Recipe Make-Over
3. Creamy Leek & Spinach Pasta
4. Spinach & Feta Chicken Sausages with Garbanzo Beans
5. Spinach & Mushroom Quiche