“It’s a bit like 70s vegetarian food.”

Hmmm, not the most ringing endorsement from my husband.  But then he added:

“But it’s really, really good.”

OK, that’s better. And really, 70s vegetarian food was kind of what I was going for. After I’ve been eating badly (in this case, too many tacos on my trip to Austin last week), I find myself craving a super “crunchy” meal – something simple and pure that carries absolutely no guilt. But of course, it also has to be delicious.

This comforting kale, chickpea and quinoa dish fits the bill. With these ingredients, it’s about as nutritious as it gets. And the lemon juice and zest ensure that it’s anything but bland.

Instead of 70s vegetarian, maybe I should call this a detox meal. Or does that sound so 2011?

In any case, I feel better already after eating this dish!

Lemon-Ginger Quinoa with Chickpeas and Kale

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
5-6 cups chopped kale
1½ cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup quinoa, rinsed if you don’t have the no-rinse variety
2 cups vegetable broth (recommend No-Chicken broth)
¼ cup lemon juice
Zest of one large lemon
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium tamari (use gluten-free if you prefer)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven. Add onion and carrots, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic, ginger and red pepper and sauté 3 minutes. Add the greens and cook another 4 or 5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas, quinoa, broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, tamari and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Serves 4

This white bean bruschetta is perfect for a party appetizer, or just for snacking. It fits my Top 3 criteria:

Easy.
Healthy.
Delicious.

Sure, I’ve had white bean bruschetta before, and it’s always good. But the gremolata topping here – the holy trinity of lemon zest, garlic and parsley – puts this bruschetta in a category of its own. It adds an assertive fresh tanginess that’s a bit unexpected.

I took some upstairs to my neighbor/taste-tester Shauna, and her lovely mom, who was visiting. The two of them gobbled these right up. I had the feeling they wished there were more than four little pieces on the plate. But alas, I had already gobbled up a lot of them myself.

I can’t wait to try this recipe with some heirloom beans. Believe it or not, I just ordered some called Alubia Blanca de San Jose Iturbide. I’ll report back on those, on Facebook and Twitter.

White Bean Bruschetta With Gremolata

1 whole wheat baguette, sliced
1½ cups cooked cannellini beans (drained and rinsed if canned*)
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
Salt, to taste
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or more as needed), divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
Grated zest of 1 large lemon
Coarse salt

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush very lightly with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly crunchy.

Combine the beans, cherry tomatoes and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Salt lightly, to taste and add black pepper. In a small bowl, combine the parsley, garlic and lemon zest.

Top the bread slices with the bean mixture, then sprinkle on the gremolata. Drizzle with olive oil and a little coarse salt.

* If using canned beans, I recommend Eden brand, as their cans do not contain BPA.

Serves 6