Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas

There are some days where I can't wait to get home to sit down with a warm bowl of leftovers and start blogging. And then sometimes I scarf down those leftovers, I go on a cleaning-the-kitchen bing/prep all the food for tomorrow/clean the apartment and then get to sit down to blog. Life is never dull, I must say that. I had a coworker today ask me why I didn't watch movies and more specifically, what I did with my free time. I laughed and said I didn't have any free time and he challenged how that was possible. So I began to give him a rundown of my day-to-day activities...he told me to stop talking by the time I got to Wednesday (and I started on Monday) because it was stressing him out. I then also explained to him what every single weekend between September to December has involved/will involve. He left the room! Needless to say, I think I got my point across that "free time" are not two words that coexist in my vocabulary. C'est la vie.

Needless to say, I'm happy to be here, in the present, editing photos and writing up this post. I feel like there are only a few moments I can get wholly to myself, mostly when writing and at yoga. But enough about me! You don't come to this blog to read about me, you come to read about food! This one is quick and easy and is a recipe that I wish I had made, instead of leaving it up to Will. Perhaps the next time it gets on our recipe docket, I will give it a whirl (although we are always seeking new recipes, so chances of seeing this one again anytime soon, is unlikely). You could also adapt this one to make without a Dutch oven and it can be served with/over a variety of other foods, like rice or the suggested sweet potato from the original recipe. It can also be a main dish or a side-your choice! Enjoy making this straightforward, easy recipe.

Cooking Notes: Will didn't really change much of anything other than not really measuring the spices as he tossed them in (which is pretty typical). He used our Dutch oven and we served it with rice on the second night, to fill it out a bit since we pigged out the first night!

Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas with Lemon (adapted from The Kitchn; serves 4-6)
2 tsp ghee
1 small yellow onion
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tbsp grated ginger, from a 3-inch piece
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
Dash of red pepper flakes
15-oz. can chickpeas, drained
1 lb. baby spinach
14-oz. can coconut milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Heat the ghee in a large, deep Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until the onion begins to brown. Add the garlic, ginger, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest (if you used a real lemon) and red pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chickpeas and cook over high heat for a few minutes or until the chickpeas are beginning to turn golden and are coated with the onion and garlic mixture.

Toss in the spinach, one handful at a time, taking about 5 minutes total. Do this by stirring in a handful or two and waiting for it to wilt down, making room in the pot before adding the next handful. Once you have stirred in all the spinach, pour in the coconut milk and stir in the salt, ground ginger, and lemon juice. Bring everything to a simmer then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the chickpeas are warm through. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if necessary. Serve with fresh cilantro and enjoy!

Recipe: The Kitchn: Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas with Lemon