Sheet Pan Chickpeas in a Pinch

Roasted Veggies

     Some nights I just don’t want to go to the grocery store. Generally my happy place, filled with the possibility of so many great meals just waiting to be crafted, some days the thought of standing in line, or spending more money, or wasting the food I have, converge to make me get creative with whatever my refrigerator and pantry can cough up.  

   Yesterday I cooked for friends so the shopping I did was focused on specific meal prep: chicken thighs and avocados and cilantro and flour. I made from-scratch flour tortillas and chicken tacos with brown rice and black beans topped off with guacamole and pico de gallo. I was on a very pointed mission. But the leftovers got eaten for lunch (mostly) so dinner plans had to be made.  

     What could I piece together? 

     I’ve spent the last two weeks eating way more meat than I usually consume. My folks were in town and although my parents have reduced their meat intake in recent years they are from Texas- and Texas does nothing  well if not meat! Then this past weekend I did a dumpling crawl with my friend. At one point we even sucked the pork and crab filling out of an enormous dumpling…again with the (delicious) meat overkill! 

Wang Xing Ji (aka Juicy Dumpling)

So tonight I wanted some veggies. Tonight I didn’t want anything that was breathing to die for my meal. What sprang to mind was the idea of a meal I’d seen who knows when or where…maybe bon appetit or maybe kitchn…it was a one pan meal- roasted veggies and chickpeas. I remember nothing else. But I have cauliflower in my fridge waiting to be roasted, a handful of mushrooms and a sprouting potato that, left much longer, won’t be salvageable.  

     So I chopped and diced, threw in a couple cloves of garlic, a quarter of an onion, and a can of rinsed chickpeas and roasted away on between 400 and 450.  How long? Maybe half an hour…I wasn’t really paying attention. Instead I began thinking about sauce. The sumac, salt, and olive oil I dressed the veggies with wasn’t enough to truly make them pop so what then? 

     I found a stash of 

Finished product

herbs wilting but not dead in my crisper…remnants of a Mediterranean chicken meal I made for my folks last week. So out came the blender (in retrospect the food processor would probably have worked better) and in went a clove of garlic (already minced because neither my blender nor my food processor seems to be high enough quality to mince a clove if thrown in whole) a green onion, a quarter cup of packed cilantro, a quarter cup of dill, a handful of fresh basil leaves, and a handful of fresh spinach. I squeezed half a lemon in and then drizzled olive oil as I pulsed. A dab of salt and voila!  

     The sauce was slightly runnier than the pesto I make and a little earthier in aroma and flavor (it tastes very green) but it was light and spring-like and mixed in with the roasted vegetables and some leftover arugula salad I had on hand- I was delighted. I finished the dish with some toasted almond slivers and diced raw sweet peppers.  

     Vegan, quick, delicious, and supremely versatile...have carrots or sweet potatoes, toss them in for a hint of sweetness. Broccoli adds some vibrant color and an overdose (in the best way) of vitamin C with a dash of vitamin A , B-6, and potassium thrown in for good measure. Detest mushrooms? Nix 'em! 

     This is anything you want/have kind of meal-what better meal is there?