Chickpea Tikka Masala #SundaySupper

Chickpea Tikka Masala is made with homemade Masala sauce, spinach, mushrooms and carrots and finished with coconut milk for a rich, slightly spicy vegan lunch!

Mid-January is usually the time when meal preparation gets back into full swing. The holiday leftovers are gone (finally), and the routine is back to normal. Of course, I'm still trying to sleep off the holiday blahs, and while cooking meals for the week is still enjoyable, making sure they're balanced and healthy as well as quick and easy can be a challenge.

One of the options is, of course, to turn to convenience foods like pre-made sauces, grain dishes and entrees for a jump on dinner. Now, I have nothing against using well-made, jarred sauces on occasion - salt free tomato products (yes, including sauce), curry pastes and condiments like mustard are staples in our pantry. Canned beans are another thing we stock up on. But now that I have a pressure canner, I've taken pleasure in making my own pantry staples - yes, including beans. This way, I get the benefits of quick and easy convenience while controlling the quality and contents of what we're eating.

I wish I could take credit for the idea behind this dish, but that honour goes to Rebecca Lindamood from Foodie with Family. I received her book, Not Your Mama's Canning Book, for Christmas 2016 and last summer was able to cook up a few treats from it's pages including her canned beans and her
Tikka Masala Sauce. As I was using my garden produce, I used pencil hot and Thai chilies instead of the jalapeno she called for, and home roasted and pureed tomatoes. I canned up two pint jars at the time - the tomato harvest was pitiful - but it was good enough for the beginning of our winter blues.

With both chickpeas and sauce at the ready, it took moments to toss together a rich, spicy ragout perfect for spooning over long grain Basmati rice. It stashed in the fridge for a good week, and was even good cold - but when the weather is anything but tropical, a warm bowl of goodness truly hits the spot!

This week #SundaySupper is focused on healthy grain bowls - rice, quinoa, farro, whatever. From Tex-Mex to teriyaki, there's something for everyone!

• Asian Cauliflower Rice and Shrimp Bowls by Jersey Girl Cooks
• Chicken Fajita Quinoa Bowl by Pies and Plots
• Chickpea Tikka Masala by What Smells So Good?
• Cuban Style Pork Taco Bowl by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Greek Cauliflower Rice Bowl (Low Carb) by My Life Cookbook
• Healthy Crockpot Pulled Beef Rice Bowl by Hardly A Goddess
• Mediterranean Chicken Black Rice Bowl by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Quinoa Breakfast Bowl by Wholistic Woman
• Taco Rice Bowl by Life Tastes Good
• Teriyaki Shrimp Rice Bowl with Bok Choy by The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Tex Mex Caulirice Bowl by Our Good Life
• Thai Vegetable Quinoa Bowl by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Tuna Rice Bowl with Yum Yum Sauce by Sunday Supper Movement
• Vegetarian Bibimbap by Caroline’s Cooking

The Sunday Supper Movement is committed to bringing our readers delicious recipes that encourage them to gather and eat together around the family table. Search for your favorite ingredients on our Sunday Supper website. Also check out the Sunday Supper Pinterest boards for plenty more ideas and inspiration.

Tikka Masala Sauce
Makes 1 qt, 16 (1/4 cup) servings
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 large onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp garam masala
½ tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 pencil hot or jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
4 thai red chilies, minced
4 cups roasted crushed tomatoes (I used homemade)

1. Melt oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until just golden, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, salt, garam masala and ginger; cook 2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Stir in the chilies and cook 3 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until thick.
5. Pressure can 30 minutes @ 10 PSI

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 33.5
Total Fat: 1.0 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 278.7 mg
Total Carbs: 6.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.3 g
Protein: 1.1 g
 
Chickpea Tikka Masala
Serves 8
½ tbsp coconut oil
½ lb sliced mushrooms
½ lb chopped carrots
5 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp kosher salt
4 cups no-salt-added cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 pint Tikka Masala Sauce (above)
1 cup premium coconut milk

1. Heat coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the mushrooms and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften - about 8 minutes.
3. Add the spinach, turmeric, ginger, pepper and salt. Cook 1 minute.
4. Add chickpeas and Tikka Masala Sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.
5. Stir in coconut milk and warm through. Serve immediately over rice. 

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 249.8
Total Fat: 9.4 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 391.0 mg
Total Carbs: 34.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 9.1 g
Protein: 10.3 g