Hi fellow bloggers, friends and family!

I don’t know about you but I’m all “cookied out” and it’s only mid December! I guess it didn’t help that I had a cookie and crafting party this weekend 🙂 To get back on track with my Mediterranean diet I decided to cook a meal that I often shared with my Indian and Pakistanian friends from college. Many spices used in Indian cuisine are rich in phytonutrients that neutralize free radicals and shield your cells from damage. One wonderful way to try these spices is through cooking Tikka Masala. It’s one of my favorite dishes and super easy to make with chickpeas from your pantry. Serve with a bowl of steaming basmati rice and piping hot garlic naan bread and you have one flavorful meal.

Chickpea Tikka Masala

Yield: 6-7 servings         Prep Time: 15 minutes         Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium sweet onion
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1  tablespoon of freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons of gram masala
1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
pinch of paprika
1 teaspoon of salt
1 14 oz can of tomato sauce
1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk
2 cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
fresh cilantro
lemons or limes
basmati rice and/or naan bread

Directions:

1. Saute the onion in extra virgin olive oil until transparent. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute more. Add spices and salt. Stir until fragrant.

2. Add the tomato sauce and chickpeas and stir on medium/high heat until everything is fully mixed.

3. Turn down the stove and stir in the coconut milk. Cook on simmer (low) continuing to occasionally stir for 10 minutes or until ready to serve. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and lemon or lime wedges. Serve with rice or naan bread and enjoy!