Hearty Chickpea Bison & Spinach Stew.
This stew is hearty, satisfying and nutritious. It is simple to prepare and will satisfy your crowd. Made with mashed and whole chickpeas, lean healthy grass fed bison and nutritious chicken broth and spinach.
WHY DO YOU WANT TO MAKE MY HEARTY CHICKPEA BISON AND SPINACH STEW.
This recipe gets its fabulous flavor from the spice mix. Robust with a warm spicy kick. The broth and Bison add the richness you look for in a good quality stew, without a ton of extra calories or fat.
THE INGREDIENTS
- Bison is a lean protein choice that packs a good amount of several essential nutrients, including protein, iron, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins.
- Chickpeas are a great source of protein, fiber, and help us digest our nutrients efficiently.
- Spinach is a superstar food. A dark leafy green that is an extremely nutrient-rich vegetable. It packs high amounts of carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, iron, and calcium.
- Chicken broth is rich with essential fatty acids and protein. Both help your body build and repair healthy muscle, bone, skin, and blood cells.
These ingredients in this recipe along with the spice mix, offer a lean, nutritious and delicious lunch or dinner recipe.
WHY I CREATED THIS RECIPE
I am all about soups and stews during the cold winter months. Not only do they warm you up, if they are made with the highest quality ingredients, they can be nutritional powerhouse recipes.
Soup and stews are great if you want to meal prep lunches or dinners in advance. Whip up a batch on the weekend, and you can stash half in the freezer to enjoy later. A bonus: you’ll have healthy, homemade soup at the ready when you’re busy, under the weather or too tired to cook.
HOW TO MAKE MY HEARTY CHICKPEA BISON AND SPINACH STEW
This recipe is very easy to make. Minimum chopping, one pot cooking and ready to eat in 30 minutes.
BONUS: You can make it days ahead and reheat.
Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans, however you wish to call them, help to add a thickening and burst of fiber and iron to this stew. By processing one of the boxes of drained chickpeas into a fine crumble and adding to the broth, thickens the stew.
Start by cooking your ground Bison in a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into a smaller crumble. Think about a size that is comfortable to eat.
Do not overcook your Bison. Bison looks like Beef but cooks like Chicken. Meaning it cooks quickly and if overcooked, dries out quickly. You will only cook 2-3 minutes, then you will add your spices. Stir the spices into the Bison to evenly distribute.
Then add your chopped onion, carrot and garlic. Again stir to evenly distribute, then cook 3-4 minutes, till your onion starts to soften.
Then add in your tomato paste, and chicken base. The reason I like to add the base directly into the recipe vs adding to water and letting it dissolve is that I believe it allows the chicken base flavor to intensify in your recipe. Once you have it stirred throughout the mixture you can add the water, chickpeas (ground and whole), salt, pepper and Parmesan rind (if using).
Cover your pot and allow the broth to come to a low simmer. This means bubbles along the sides of the pot. Allow a total of 8 minutes, from time to you cover and allow to simmer.
Remove lid from pot, turn off heat and toss in spinach. Stir spinach into broth to allow it to wilt. This will take a couple of minutes. Once the spinach wilts, serve stew in bowls, topped with grated parmesan, a bit more red pepper flakes (if you want more spice heat).
Store uneaten stew in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze in a plastic container.
Looking for another healthy soup recipe? Try my Cell Recovery Potato Leek Soup
Want to learn more about the health benefits of Bison vs. Beef. Check out this fabulous article –> Bison vs Beef – Which Red Meat Reigns Supreme?
Hearty Chickpea Bison & Spinach Stew.
Equipment
- Stockpot
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- * 2 boxes or cans of organic garbanzo beans or chickpeas rinsed, divided in half
- * 1 tablespoon olive oil
- * 1 pound ground grass fed bison
- * ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- * ½ teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
- * ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- * 1 medium yellow onion chopped 2 medium carrots, diced (3/4 cup)
- * 4 cloves garlic minced
- * 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- * 2 tablespoons of chicken base
- * 4 cups of water
- * 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- * 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- * 1 small parmesan rind protective layer that develops on the outside of the cheese wheel as it ages, optional 3-4 cups fresh baby spinach
- * ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Optional
Instructions
- Place one box of drained and rinsed chickpeas in a food processor. Process until a crumbly mixture. In a large stock pot heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add bison, break up with a wooden spoon until crumbly mixture.
- Immediately add Italian seasoning, crushed fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper, stirring to mix seasoning into bison.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add onion, carrots, and garlic, stirring to blend evenly. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally,until softened and fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and chicken base. Stir into bison mixture to coat. Continue stirring for about 30 seconds.
- Add water, all of the chickpeas, salt, pepper and parmesan rind if using.
- Cover and bring to a low simmer for about 8 minutes.
- Remove lid, add spinach and cook on low until spinach wilts, 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Ladle into bowls, top with shredded parmesan if using. You can add additional red pepper flakes for more heat.
- Enjoy!
