LAFFlines #17: The Best Za’atar Bowl
Lemony Maple Za’atar Roasted Sweet Potato and Broccoli Bowl: Recipe
When it comes to chickpeas…
To hull, or not to hull, that is the question: Whither ‘tis smoother in the mouth to feed on The peels and skins of drained-and-rinsed chickpeas Or to make sauce amidst the hulls of fiber And by digesting end them. To eat—to smile Way more; and by a smile to say we end The gut-ache and the thousand gaseous shocks That flesh is prone to: ‘tis a feast delicious Devoutly to be serv’d. To eat, to smile.
…aaaaand CUT with the iambic pentameter. (But, if your appetite for Shakespeare is now revved up, here’s Hamlet’s speech.)
Hulling chickpeas: Drain the chickpeas and pour them into a large bowl or pot. Cover them with water. Rub the chickpeas vigorously between your palms underneath the water. The hulls should rub right off the chickpeas. Skim the hulls from the top of the water. Drain the chickpeas. Repeat. However, resist the perfectionism: It is NOT necessary to remove every single hull.
To answer the question: hull. Removing the hulls (i.e., peels) from canned chickpeas is worth the extra five minutes. You’ll have a much smoother sauce, dip, or hummus. Plus, de-hulling reduces the fiber (but not the protein) of chickpeas; so, you might avoid the digestive discomfort some people experience with legumes. The chickpea-za’atar-date-lemon-maple sauce that goes on this flavor-popping, nutrient-whopping sweet potato and broccoli bowl twanged me straight from tragic Denmark to love-fest Disney. Remember “Be Our Guest” in Beauty and the Beast? Lumiere sang: Try the gray stuff. It’s delicious. Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes.” Try the gray stuff!
Thank goodness I got over my hesitation about the football-size sweet potatoes at Glade Road Growing: these babies are mega tasty.
The Lemony Maple Za’atar Roasted Sweat Potato and Broccoli Bowl (what’s in a name? a lot when it comes to SEO—search engine optimization) is ready in 45 minutes, even if your knife skills (like mine) are not worthy of an enchanted castle’s kitchen.
The gray stuff. If you want to turn this sauce into hummus, add tahini. Once the tahini is blended, add 3-4 ice cubes—one at a time, blending between each cube. The ice cubes have air bubbles that make hummus extra fluffy and smooth.
Where to Purchase LAFF
Roanoke Co+op (Grandin location)
Eats (Blacksburg) - restocked on Friday, February 21!
Online store: Delivery is free in the New River Valley.
Email: Email me at hello@laffkitchen.com if you prefer to pay by check or cash, OR if you have any trouble with the online store.
Last Note: You’re Invited
Looking for cooking inspiration? Check out the LAFF Recipe Index.
Plus, I welcome recipe requests! You are invited to email me with recipes that need a plant-based make-over or meals you need help planning (you know, the ones where you’re hosting a vegan power-lifter and your decidely not-vegan great aunt and a kindergartener morally opposed to mushrooms and any type of red sauce). Think of it as a culinary “Dear Abby.” It’s free. It’s fun. It’s collaborative. And it’s not limited to LAFF protein crumbles. Craving a breakfast brownie? Let’s figure it out…
Cheers,
Abby
P.S. The next time you’re cooking, remember Polonius: “Though this be madness, yet there is method in't” —Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2