Meatless Monday: Chickpea Kale Stir-Fry

The following recipe has all the makings of a go-to favourite. It cuts down on post-cooking cleanup, features plant-based ingredients and flavourful spices, and takes a mere 20 minutes or so to make. Does it get any better than that?

The MVPs here are clearly chickpeas and kale, two popular ingredients in vegetarian meals and snacks. Beyond this stir-fry, try them tossed with healthy oils and roasted as in our Roasted Chickpeas and Parmesan Kale Chips recipes.

As for health benefits, kale is rich in bone-building and cancer-fighting nutrients such as vitamins A, C, and K. Meanwhile, chickpeas contain enough fibre to keep us feeling full, making them a hearty addition to vegetarian stir-fries and even salads.

Chickpea Kale Stir-Fry

From Matthew Kadey’s “One-Skillet Meals”

4 cups (1 L) cooked or canned chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tsp (10 mL) minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp (15 mL) garam masala
1/2 tsp (2 mL) turmeric
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cayenne
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
6 cups (1.5 L) chopped kale
2 cups (500 mL) cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup (60 mL) hempseeds
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup (250 mL) plain, 2% Greek yogurt
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chickpeas, garlic, and ginger; cook 4 minutes. Stir in garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, and salt; cook 30 seconds more. Add kale to skillet and cook until slightly wilted. Stir in tomatoes, hempseeds, and lemon juice; heat 1 minute.

In small bowl, stir together yogurt and lemon zest. Serve chickpea mixture topped with dollops of lemony yogurt.

Serves 4.

Each serving contains: 456 calories; 35 g protein; 11 g total fat (2 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 69 g total carbohydrates (13 g sugars, 16 g fibre); 204 mg sodium