Baked Eggs with Spiced Chickpeas and Chard

Baked Spiced Chickpeas and Chard with Eggs -0183

When things begin to move – they really roll. It’s been a busy few weeks for me, juggling the tasks on the various projects I am working on. There are no complaints as I am so happy to be in the process of moving forward, focused and ready to tackle all kinds of issues and chores I am faced with. Some tasks fall so very easily into place each process integrating into the other effortlessly. Others are more taxing and demanding, requiring more attention and often a lot more nerves.

There are going to be ups and downs. I need to remind myself that always. Tenaciously tough tasks need more determination and more creativity. These might be exhausting but the challenge lies in finding a workable solution. Then the tide changes and I am riding on an easy flowing wave where everything just falls into place, fluently and smoothly. I grow more with both situations and I learn so much with the people I work with.

We’re almost halfway through the year already and as I review it thoughtfully it feels good to take stock of everything that is happening. I just need to remember to breathe and take a pause, some time to myself. While a lot happens around me I need to make sure not to drown. There is a danger of finding peace in the cool depths of oblivion. Rising up to break the surface for a gasp of fresh air is vital to keep from sinking further.

Chard -0180

When I feel the need to come up for air I often find myself here. To write, to share my thoughts, ideas and recipes. The warm weather beckons me to take solace in the garden. Planting my tomatoes and tending my herbs allow me to tank on energy and align my bearings. Last week I downloaded the entire Jane Austin collection as audible books that I now carry on my smartphone. After reading the classic collection every year since the age of 18 I am finding new pleasures in hanging in my hammock for 30 to 40 minutes at a stretch and just listening to the trials and tribunes of Mr. Darcy and Elisabeth Bennet, or Fanny Price and Edmund Bertam et al. A breather for a while before I am taken up by the whirlwind again. My family, photo shoots, workshops, magazine articles and cooking projects – I am ready for the challenge.

Baked Spiced Chickpeas and Chard with Eggs-0190

This dish is quick, easy, and full of bursting flavor. It is great on its own for a fast lunch or the perfect side to chicken or fish at dinner with a bunch of friends. If legumes and eggs are what you love this dish has it. Perfect for one – the fork, the hammock and the audio book. A great crowd pleaser – glasses of fruity sangria, lively chatter and glorious stars in the sky. It works – every time. I serve it with a thick labneh drizzled with a fruity olive oil and sprinkled with sumac. But it would easily work with a cucumber raita and some warm naans too.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Baked Eggs with Spiced Chickpeas and Chard

Printable version of recipe here

Baked Spiced Chickpeas and Chard with Eggs -0186

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

  • 400g can of chickpeas, drained
  • 3 teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 ½ teaspoon smoked chipotle paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 400g can tomatoes
  • 2 whole roasted peppers from a jar, cut into strips
  • 180g chard, chopped
  • 6-8 eggs
  • whole wheat pita or crusty bread for scooping

Method:

  1. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Preheat oven to 180C. Heat olive oil in a saucepan, add onion and garlic and sauté over low-medium heat until caramelized. This should take about 8-10 minutes.
  2. Add spices, sauté until fragrant for another 1 minute, then add the roasted peppers from the jar. Pour the tomato, breaking up with a wooden spoon and then stir through chickpeas and eventually a glass of water, simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes until thick. Season to taste and add chard stirring it through the mixture.
  3. Spoon chickpea mixture into a shallow ovenproof dish or a cast iron skillet. Make eight indents in mixture with a spoon, crack an egg into each. Bake until eggs are just set - this should take about 15 minutes. Serve hot with pita or crusty bread.
Notes
You can make variations of this by using spinach or kale instead of chard.
Use a mixture of legumes instead of just chickpeas.
This makes a fantastic side to chicken or fish too.

Verdict

Baked Spiced Chickpeas and Chard with Eggs -0186

This dish is the typical meal I prepare when I am craving flavors from my favorite ingredients all at once. I love eggs and legumes and being an Indian the spices get my tastebuds tingling. Rustic bread, pita or naans are the eligible partners for dunking and scooping and the labneh (or the raita) are ideal condiments to cool the palate.

Workshop Updates

As I wrap up the Venice Workshop behind the scenes and still linger a little longer on the grand memories, I am taking big steps towards Helsinki as Simone, Mari and I put the final touches for the workshop in Finland. I am excited. I have always wanted to visit Finland and while it will take me there for just a few days I will be staying a little longer to discover Helsinki. This week I started to make progress with the Dubai workshop in October and how easily everything has fallen into place. Dates have been blocked, a new location has been secured and there are many new ideas flowing easily behind the scenes.

Berlin is up next! Thrilled to be having such positive response and see people will be joining Simone, Sandy and me this summer from all over Europe. But we still have some capacity, so if you are keen to join us on a 2-day special where you will spend plenty of time with like-minded people working on honing your skills and creativity, please take a moment to browse through the programme.
Keep yourself updated on all upcoming workshops here.

BerlinBadge2014-sidebar
2-day workshop in the trendy capital
Berlin, Germany
4th - 5th July 2014
Workshop programme
Register for the Berlin here!

You might like these ideas from WFLH:

10694543204_004a19464e_b LambLentilSalad_0005-CR_thumb[2] BlackBeanQuesadillas01framed[2]
Dal Fry – Lentils The Punjabi Way Warm Lentil Salad with Dried Cherries, Feta and a Herb Marinated Lamb Fillet Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesadillas


All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2013 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First

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12 comments:

  1. Meeta,
    This looks very yummy. And presentation is awesome.
    Devi

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  2. I have reserved a half hour for reading for a couple of years now, early, with coffee, before the house begins to stir and duty calls. xo

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    Replies
    1. Reading is the best way to come down. I have to say I am also liking audio books at the moment. I also wake about 45 minutes before the others to just enjoy a few minutes to myself!

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  3. It's winter in Oz and this looks perfect. Nice addition to traditional baked eggs! Realising you have to look after yourself at a busy time is a big step towards that, so good luck!

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    Replies
    1. This would be perfect for winter time. Looking after yourself is the best way to ensure that everyone around you is happy too. You function a lot better!

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  4. Reading always manages to relax the mind and body from the daily challenges. Love the baked egg. Like you, I love eggs and legumes too.

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  5. What a wonderful recipe! I love the idea of this. I am also noticing that the chard in your photo looks very different than what is called chard here. Wish I could taste it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes this was a different variety of chard also called mangold that we get often here. It's slightly more bitter than the other variety - is what I have noticed. Pairs well with other greens perfectly.

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  6. Anything with an egg on top does for me. My teens and I often quote bits of Pride and Prejudice - so witty and brilliant. We read on a loop and have watched the Andrew Davies serial (not the dreadful film) countless times.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh I dislike the film too I love the one with Colin Firth. Have it on DVD and watch it quite often. I hope Soeren will find his love for Jane Austin some day too.

      Delete

Thank you for visiting What's For Lunch, Honey? and taking time to browse through my recipes, listen to my ramblings and enjoy my photographs. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. I will answer your questions to my best knowledge and respond to your comments as soon as possible.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy your stay here and that I was able to make this an experience for your senses.

Hugs
Meeta