KITCHEN TABLE

COUNTLESS MEALS, ONE FORMULA!

Gena Hamshaw shares her formula for getting out of dreaded food ruts in her book, A Grain, A Green, A Bean (Ten Speed Press, $$36).

WHEAT BERRIES, CRISPY CHICKPEAS AND KALE

Image credit: A Grain, A Green, A Bean by Gena Hamshaw.

1/2 cup/135g wheat berries

Vinaigrette

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tbsp vinegar of choice (champagne, sherry, or white wine)

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp pure maple syrup

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp finely minced shallot

1 large or 2 small bunches curly kale, stemmed and chopped (about 180g chopped)

3 cups/280g Crispy Chickpeas*

1 cup/110g diced celery

2 Honeycrisp apples, cored and diced (or other apple variety)

1/2 cup/40g dried cranberries (or golden raisins)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the wheat berries. Boil like pasta, for 45 to 60 minutes, until they’re tender yet hold on to their distinctive chewiness. Drain.

Prepare the vinaigrette. In a medium bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. When the dressing is emulsified, stir in the shallot and whisk again to combine.

Place the kale in a large bowl. Pour half the dressing (½ cup) over the greens. Use your hands to “massage” the dressing into the kale. After a minute or two, the kale will be reduced in size and more tender. Add the wheat berries, the chickpeas, celery, apple, and cranberries to the bowl, followed by the rest of the dressing. Mix the ingredients well. Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as desired. The salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

* CRISPY CHICKPEAS

Image credit: A Grain, A Green, A Bean by Gena Hamshaw.

1-1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 425g) can chickpeas drained and rinsed

1-1/2 tbsp avocado oil

1-1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/8 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp garlic powder

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Spread the chickpeas on a sheet pan and use tea towels or paper towels to roll them around and pat them dry. The drier the chickpeas, the crispier they’ll be. Make sure there’s no liquid remaining on the sheet pan; use paper towels to wipe it up.

Drizzle the chickpeas with the oil and use your hands or a spoon to coat them evenly. Sprinkle them with the salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and a few turns of black pepper. Mix again.

Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the chickpeas, stirring them once halfway through, until they’re a deep golden brown and very crispy, 25 to 35 minutes.

The chickpeas can be used immediately or stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Enjoy them as a snack at room temperature or reheat in a 300°F/150°C oven for about 15 minutes.

BASMATI RICE, CHICKPEAS AND GREEN BEANS

Image credit: A Grain, A Green, A Bean by Gena Hamshaw.

2 graffiti eggplants or 1 large globe eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 pound)

Salt

1 cup/180g white basmati rice

1-1/2 cups/360ml water

2 tbsp avocado oil

1 white or yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp finely grated or minced fresh ginger

2 tsp garam masala

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1-1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 (425g) can chickpeas, drained

1 (415g) can diced tomatoes, with juices

340g fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Chopped fresh cilantro

Cashew Sour Cream (optional)

Place the eggplant cubes in a colander and salt generously. Allow the eggplant to sit for 20 minutes, it will appear to “sweat” somewhat. Use tea towels or paper towels to firmly pat it dry.

While the eggplant is salting, rinse the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain the rice and add to a medium pot along with the water. Bring the water to a boil, turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer the rice for 13 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat. Allow it to stand for 5 minutes before fluffing it lightly with a spoon or rice paddle. Re-cover the rice and set it aside.

Heat the avocado oil in a heavy-bottomed large pot over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until becoming translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, and ½ teaspoon of salt and continue to sauté for another minute, until the aromatics and spices are fragrant.

Add the salted eggplant to the pot. Sauté the eggplant, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the eggplant starts to tenderize and some of the skin is slightly browning. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, and green beans to the pot, stir the ingredients, and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low, and simmer the ingredients for 10 to 15 minutes, until the eggplant is very tender. Taste the mixture and add red pepper flakes for heat, if desired.

Divide the rice among four bowls and top each with one-fourth of the eggplant mixture Add the cilantro or Cashew Sour Cream (if using). The rice can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and the eggplant mixture for up to 5 days. The eggplant mixture can also be frozen for up to 6 weeks.

CASHEW SOUR CREAM

3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2 hours and drained

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 tbsp lime juice

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 cup water

Place the cashews, lemon and lime juices, salt and water in a high-speed blender or food processor and process until smooth. If using a food processor, stop once or twice during blending to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Store the sour cream in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze up to 6 weeks.

A Grain, A Green, A Bean by Gena Hamshaw is published by Ten Speed Press, $36.