Chickpeas with Sage and Olive Oil

If I could eat only one bean for the rest of my life, it would be chickpeas. Their silky texture lends a richness to any dish and the fact that they can help protect our heart health makes them all the sexier to eat regularly.

Makes 2 servings.

Ingredient List:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
• ½ red onion, cut into small dice
• Sea salt
• ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh sage
• Scant pinch cracked black pepper
• 1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas
• ¼ cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 to 4 fresh sage leaves, for garnish

Step By Step Instructions:

Place oil, garlic and onion in a skillet over medium heat. When the onion sizzles, add a pinch of salt and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add chopped sage, pepper, beans, wine and ½ teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer until beans are heated through and the wine has deglazed a bit, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Stir well and serve garnished with fresh sage leaves.

Cook’s Tip: You can use canned organic beans in this recipe. Just rinse them well before use. Or you can cook ½ cup dried beans with 1½ cups of water for about 1 hour. It will yield about 1 cup beans.

Cook’s Tip: If using dried chickpeas, soak them for 1 hour with 1 tablespoon baking soda. Rinse well before cooking to save on cook time.