Moroccan Carrot & Chickpea Stew

The inspiration for this stew was simple. It was 20 degrees outside and farm chores were not going well. I spoke too soon in my last post when I mentioned how the sun was finally shining and all of the snow had melted. Ironically, it snowed again last night and it's freezing here again. Needless to say, I was getting extremely cranky in the cold fields when I desperately struck a deal with Taylor. The deal was if I could bail on the rest of the days chores Taylor would finish up outside work while I prepared dinner and did all of the dishes (he normally does dishes since I typically cook). He immediately agreed (we shook hands) and before I knew it I was back in the warmth of my kitchen standing in front of my stove stirring a big pot of stew. It's hard to believe only a few short months ago it was in the 90's and we were dreaming of this cold and slow season at the farm. Now I'm wishing we were back to the hot sweaty days of August. I guess the grass really is greener on the other side! The good news is that we're still eating our way through Tumbleweed produce and this soup really hit the spot. This is the kind of weeknight meal that is easy to prepare and tastes even better heated up for lunch the following day. The warming moroccan spices are pure comfort and this is definitely a meal to enjoy when the weather is cold and miserable. I hope you all enjoy this simple stew as much as we do. Grab your biggest soup spoon and cozy up with a bowl of this tonight. Enjoy!

Moroccan Carrot & Chickpea Stew

Prep Time: 10 mins.
Cook Time: 35-45 mins.
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 4-6 medium-sized carrots, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 4-5 cups vegetable stock (more to thin if necessary)
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas (if from the can rinsed and drained)
  • 1 cup parsley, roughly chopped
  • Plenty of salt and pepper to taste
  • Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Preparation

  1. In a large soup pot heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until it begins to soften up-about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and cinnamon. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the mixture is vary fragrant.
  2. Add the carrots, raisins, tomatoes and 4 cups of the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer the soup until the carrots are tender. About 30 minutes.
  3. Stir in the cooked chickpeas, parsley, salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick add a little more stock. Taste test and adjust seasonings if needed.
  4. Serve warm with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide. *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary. *Taste test as you go. *Have fun in the kitchen and switch things up to suite you personal preference.

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