what to eat when it's cold and you're busy.

It's getting frigid.  Days are short.  The morning is unusually cruel when it's dark and you're wondering what exactly you did to deserve having to wake up this early and deal with life when your bed is so soft and warm and lavender smelling and your sweatpants are begging to be rolled around in for just a couple more hours.  Then there's coming home at night; you're beat, you're starved and your patience is low.  Enter the potato et cetera.

I love a sweet potato, especially in the winter.  I find it quells my sweet cravings and it's a quick pop in the toaster oven while i make up some kind of saucy thing to pour over it and call dinner.  You don't do this?  Try it.

This recipe is one loosely based on a post from the kitchn, a super excellent resource for home cooks and food lovers.  Try that, too.

Coconuty Spinach &Chickpeas

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion

4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon grated ginger, from a 3-inch piece

1 large lemon, zested and juiced (about 2 ta

blespoons juice)

1 dried hot red pepper or dash of red pepper flakes (optional) 

15-ounce can chickpeas, drained

1 pound baby spinach (or super well drained frozen spinach)

14-ounce can coconut milk (i use light, but if you like a thicker sauce go 'head)

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

serve on:

roasted sweet potatoes or pasta or some other starchy yum

1. Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium high, add onion and cook until translucent and starting to caramelize.  Add in garlic, ginger, zest and hot pepper.  Cook for additional 3-4 minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic.

2. Add in the chickpeas and toss to coat in the spices.  

3. Add in the spinach and pour in the can of coconut milk, salt and lemon juice.  Bring to simmer and reduce to low to cook for about 8-10 more minutes.  Serve on the potatoes.

In this version I used a package of tempeh bacon I had that was going to go bad.  I just browned it up with the onions in step 1 and kept on going.  Got regular bacon?  do that.  Got some other protein you wanna add in?  Like an O.G. potato vs. the sweet?  G'head.  This is a foolproof "add shit in" kind of dish.  Trust me, you got it.