Meatless Monday: Lemony Spring Vegetable and Chickpea Stew

There’s nothing heavy or wintry about this stew. Our Meatless Monday pick for today is pretty much spring in a bowl—green peas, punchy radishes, and zesty lemon are a welcome relief from the root vegetables of winter.

And if your area is still in the throes of snow and sub-zero temperatures ... well, at least you’ll have a little taste of spring on your dinner table. For a heartier meal, stir in cooked pasta, brown rice, or quinoa when the chickpeas are added.

Lemony Early Spring Vegetable and Chickpea Stew

From Allison Day’s “Early Spring Produce”

2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, halved and cut into thin rounds
2 medium carrots, cut on the diagonal into thin slices
2 cups (500 mL) halved radishes
2 cups (500 mL) cooked chickpeas
1 cup (250 mL) vegetable broth
1/2 tsp (2 mL) sea salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground pepper
2 cups (500 mL) fresh spinach
1 cup (250 mL) fresh or frozen peas
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice

In large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and radishes. Sauté for 10 minutes, or until vegetables become slightly tender. Add chickpeas, broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender.

Immediately before serving, stir in spinach, peas, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Once spinach is bright green and wilted, about 1 minute, serve.

Serves 4.

Each serving contains: 274 calories; 12 g protein; 10 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 36 g total carbohydrates (10 g sugars, 8 g fibre); 442 mg sodium