Spiralized Carrots with Roasted Chickpeas and Feta Vinaigrette
I've been working my way through (my pretend BFF) Jessica Seinfeld's new cookbook Food Swings and I found my new favorite recipe! Believe it or not, it's in the "virtue" section of the book, which means it's also good for you. Jess' (yes, we're on nickname basis) roasted carrots and chickpeas recipe is spicy, salty, lemony and amazing. I made it a few weeks ago and my friends and I totally devoured it. Then I decided to change it up a bit and fell even more in love. Here is my take on the recipe, which includes all of the same ingredients, but spiralized carrots. This way it's more like a salad - perfect for summer! It's delicious warm and cold. This recipe should serve 4, but the most we got out of it was 3 (and that's only because we had a ton of other food to eat).
Ingredients
Carrots and Chickpeas
1 15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 extra large carrots (if you can't get the super thick kind, or only have a vegetti spiralizer that needs thinner ones, use 1.5 pounds of regular) *UPDATE: Trader Joe's has frozen spiralized carrots and they are delish!
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 scallions, sliced (white and light green parts)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, with the oven rack in the middle.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
Once the chickpeas are drained and rinsed, pat them completely dry with a paper towel and add them to the baking sheet. It's important they are totally dry or otherwise they won't crisp.
In a small bowl, combine the cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and half of that spice mixture to the chickpeas, toss to coat, spread on an even layer and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the chickpeas are crispy and golden. (Tossing a few times throughout)
While the chickpeas are roasting, spiralize the carrots. (I use blade D on the Inspiralizer).
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spice mixture to the carrots and sauté on medium heat in a large frying pan. After tossing, cover for 5 minutes. I usually don't like cooked carrots because they can get too sweet and so mushy, so I keep the "noodles" nice and firm but you can cook until your heart desires. *UPDATE: If you bought the frozen Trader Joe's carrots that are already spiralized, just put them in a pan (frozen) with a bit of olive oil, cover and cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until the block is defrosted. Then add the seasoning and sauté uncovered until the carrots are your desired firmness.
While the carrots are heating, put all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a mason jar, cover with the lid and shake until blended.
Assemble the carrots in a serving bowl, top with the chickpeas and then drizzle with the vinaigrette. Prepare to be amazed! I dare you to just eat one serving...
