Chickpea And Sweet Potato Koftas Reduced Fat Food

CHICKPEA AND SWEET POTATO KOFTAS (REDUCED FAT)

Steps:

• Peel and dice the sweet potato or yam, and cook it in boiling water until soft (about 10 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces). Drain well. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of cooked sweet potato. Transfer to a food processor.
• Add all other ingredients, except the flour, peas, and oil. Purée until fairly smooth. (The mixture might be very thick, depending on the sweet potato or yam, so be patient with this process.) Transfer to a bowl.
• Stir in the flour until thoroughly incorporated, then gently stir in the peas. Form into large or small patties. To make them really uniform and professional looking, use a 1/4-cup-capacity ice cream scoop or a 1/4-cup measure to scoop up portions of the mixture, then pat each one down until it is about 1/2-inch thick and 2 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Place a skillet over medium heat and add a little bit of oil. When the oil is really hot, add the patties, and sauté for about 8 to 10 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned and heated through. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

MOROCCAN CHICKPEAS AND SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the onion, garlic, ginger, and wine or sherry.
• Cover and sweat over low heat for 5 minutes.
• Add the cumin, cinnamon, paprika, and red pepper flakes and cook, uncovered, 1 minute longer.
• Add the water or chickpea cooking liquid, salt, sweet potatoes, and apricots.
• Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until the sweet potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas, raisins, and lemon juice.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the chickpeas are hot.
• Add the sliced almonds.

VEGAN SWEET POTATO AND CHICKPEA CURRY

Steps:

• Fry the cumin seeds for a minute in a dry medium-high frying pan and then grind them with the other whole spices in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.
• Fry onion, ginger, and chilli peppers in the oil until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and fry for a couple of minutes.
• Add the spices and stir for a minute or so. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
• Pour in the coconut milk, add sweet potatoes and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• About 5 minutes before serving, add spinach if you are using it and cook until it just wilts but retains its bright green color.
• Add the juice from one lemon to taste, to lift the flavor.
• Serves well with brown and wild rice.

LOW FAT SWEET POTATO AND CHICKPEA CAKES (VEGETARIAN TOO!)

Steps:

• PLACE sweet potatoes on paper towel and place in microwave (About 3 very large); COOL slightly.
• COOK until done (About 25 minutes).
• Finely DICE shallot and coriander.
• DRAIN canned chickpeas and MASH in bowl.
• COMBINE chickpeas, shallot, 2 tbsp parmesan and coriander.
• SCOOP out cooked sweet potato and MASH.
• ADD to chikpeas, shallot and corainder and blend thoroughly.
• BLEND in 2 tbsp flour into mixture and form patties (Makes about 8 - 10 patties).
• Place additional 2 tbsp of parmesan on a flat plate or surface and dip patties onto cheese(both sides).
• PLACE patties on baking paper lined pan and LIGHTLY spray with cooking oil.
• BAKE 30 to 35 minutes.
• NOTE: Can use fat-free cooking spray.
• NOTE: Make sure to make several holes in the sweet potato before putting in microwave; also helps to turn sweet potato over once or twice to ensure even cooking.
• Based on size, I do mine 20 minutes on high, then turn them over for 20 minutes and test; if not done, I do another 10 minutes each side or 5 minutes each size depending on size; You will know it is done when the whole sweet potato is soft; Can use tongs to squeeze -- I use my hands to test:) Hope this helpful hint helps!
• If no microwave, cook sweet potato in 350 F / 180 C degree oven for about an hour.
• NOTE: I served it with Golden Door Chilli -- 300g chillis, 2 tbsp apple cider, 2 tbsp tamari combined in food processor.
• NOTE: If can't find fat-free parmesan, use lowest fat parmesan can find.
• NOTE: Is ok if chickpeas are a little lumpy, but try and get them mashed as much as you can with a fork.
• ENJOY!