Chickpea Casserole & Purple Sprouting Broccoli

So here we go; Chickpea Casserole - which is what gave me the name of the blog. This was a quick store cupboard staple when my kids were little and they still love it now. It is not a casserole but you can dress cheap ingredients up in all sorts of titles to make them sound much more fancy then they are.


Chickpea Casserole

• 1 tin of chickpeas (or if you are very organised pre-soak and cook dried ones)
• 1 tin of tomatoes
• salt and black pepper
• dried basil or oregano or a bay leaf - or all three!
• Squirt of tomato puree or ketchup if you have it.

Tip everything in a pan. Heat through. That's it.

Serve with rice, pasta, jacket potato, on toast, in pitta or with mash,

Luxury version - add fried peppers and onions with some crushed garlic and top with grated cheddar cheese.

Spicy Version - add a chopped chilli or chilli powder and a tin of kidney beans instead of chickpeas.

Meaty Version - fry either bacon or chorizo or add cooked sliced sausages.

Fresh ingredient of the week

Purple sprouting broccoli. Looks gorgeous and tastes delicious. 

• Try it raw, sliced thinly in a salad. 
• Stir fry it with other veg and add a dash of soy sauce.
• Steam it, and drizzle butter over the top
• Steam it, cover in cheese sauce and sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top and grill.
• Steam and crumble blue cheese and walnuts on top.
• OR just lightly boil it and serve it with bangers and mash or may be a poached egg.

And YES, you can eat the stalks!