Chickpea, Butternut and Lentil Tagine

CHICKPEA, BUTTERNUT AND LENTIL TAGINE

Preparation: 10 minutes, Cooking: 35 minutes, Total: 45 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 Tbs olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ bunch chopped fresh parsley
• ½ bunch chopped fresh coriander
• 800g butternut or pumpkin, cut into chunks
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas
• 1 x 400g tin lentils
• 1 tsp honey (optional)
• 30g raisins (optional)
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper or 1 fresh red chilli (optional)
• Cooked rice, couscous or cauliflower rice to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot and cook the onion over low heat for 10 minutes till it starts to caramelise.
2. Add the garlic, spices, butternut, chopped tomatoes, and half the fresh parsley and coriander. Simmer covered over medium-low heat, until the butternut or pumpkin is cooked through but firm.
3. Add the chickpeas, lentils, honey, raisins, cayenne pepper or chilli, stir and allow to warm through.
4. The stew should have a dense consistency, however, if more liquid is desired add a little hot water.
5. Taste, adjust for seasoning and serve with remaining fresh herbs as garnish.
6. Serve with couscous, rice or low-carb cauliflower rice.

Why we love this recipe –

• The ingredients for this recipe seem lengthy, but the dry spices can be substituted with “Ras el Hanout”, a readily available and fragrant spice mix, used in North African and Middle-Eastern cooking.
• Pulses such as chickpeas and lentils are a rich source of plant protein, releasing their carbohydrates slowly due to their high fibre content. The fibre helps neutralise in the gut and bloodstream, and also reduce blood glucose.  They are ideal for good gut health and assisting in reducing intestinal/ colon cancers, binding toxins, and cholesterol in the gut and eliminating from the body.  They also contain isoflavones called phytoestrogens. Isoflavones are being studied in the treatment of menopausal symptoms and help reduce the risk of hormonal cancers such as breast, endometrial and prostate cancers.
• Turmeric, ginger, garlic, cayenne and black pepper, saffron, oregano are some of the highly regarded spices which aid in cancer prevention.
• Butternut and pumpkin, contain the vitamins A (beta-carotene), B6, C, E and K and rich in minerals such as calcium, carotenoids, folate, niacin, potassium, and zinc among many others. The fibre helps keep the cancer-causing toxins away from the cells of the colon. The beta-carotene and vitamin C are anti-inflammatories, and along with folate protect the cells of the colon from the chemicals which can lead to colon cancer.
• Tomatoes contain lycopene which helps to prevent cancers such as lung, colon, and breast.
• Chillies contain capsaicin, carotenoids and ascorbic acid antioxidants.
• Coriander contains carotenoids, acting as antioxidants with cancer-fighting properties.
• Paprika is one of the pepper species, rich in the antioxidant ascorbic acid.
• Ginger contains high levels of anti-oxidants.