RICE WITH CHICKPEAS AND TOMATOES

Rice with Chickpeas and Tomatoes image

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 cup brown rice
One 16-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
One 16-ounce can low-sodium diced tomatoes, with liquid
2 to 3 scallions, sliced
1 to 2 teaspoons cumin, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Steps:

Bring 3 cups water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Stir in the rice, cover, and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 35 minutes.
Stir the remaining ingredients into the rice and cook until everything is heated through. Serve at once.
Even those who aren't keen on beans might make an exception for versatile, tasty chickpeas, a.k.a. garbanzos. Americans have come to appreciate them in popular Middle Eastern, Indian, and Mediterranean dishes (such as hummus). If they have a drawback, it's their long cooking time-up to three hours. In this case, the canned version has a definite advantage.
Mashed and seasoned, chickpeas make an excellent sandwich spread (see Chickpea Spread, page 239).
Pureed, they thicken hearty vegetable soups and make a good base for dips (see Hummus, page 229).
Chickpeas are delicious in green salads, or as the main ingredient in heartier salads (see Chickpea Salad with Roasted Peppers and Chickpea and Tomato Salad, page 42).
Calories: 238
Total Fat: 1g
Protein: 8g
Carbohydrate: 47g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 224mg