Crockpot Butter Chickpeas and Tofu

My go-to meals often consist of Latin spices in profile. Cumin, chiles, oregano, garlic and onion. However, I'm trying to broaden my spectrum of eating and I've been trying a few Indian dishes lately. This is a completely vegan meal, though while I'm not vegan by any means, I did enjoy it. Tofu is "meaty" enough for me and I used Extra Firm for this recipe. I doubled the seasonings of the original recipe as I'm the seasoning queen, but that's personal preference. Top with fresh cilantro or a dollop of sour cream if you so desire. This would be excellent with homemade (or store bought) naan bread.

Crockpot Butter Chickpeas with Tofu and Rice

adapted from delishknowledge.com

1 package of extra firm tofu 12oz, rinsed, drained and cubed

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 tbsp minced garlic

1 can light coconut milk

1 can garbanzo beans (16oz), rinsed and drained

1 can of tomato puree (15-16oz)

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

salt and pepper, to taste

fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish

Remove tofu from package and rinse. Wrap in several layers of paper towel and place a heavy object on top to press excess moisture out. I used the crock of my crock pot. Press for 15 minutes. Slice and cube into bite sizes pieces.

In large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in diced onions and cook until soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add in garlic, stir to combine.

Add in coconut milk, tomato puree and all of your seasonings. Stir to combine and cook on medium-low heat until sauce is thicker and has reduced and slightly thickened. Approximately 10-15 minutes.

Open can of garbanzo beans, rinse thoroughly and drain.

Spray crock with non-stick spray and place garbanzo beans and tofu on the bottom. Top with sauce, making sure everything is covered and submersed. Cook on LOW for 4 hours. 

Serve over rice.

Servings: 5

Sticky Chinese Wings

I saw these on Fake Ginger and thought they sounded super easy and looked delicious. Five ingredients and all I have to do is throw them in a crockpot for a few hours? YES! Normally I'm very eh about using anything with bones in it and I regret being frugal when I bought these. We normally eat the store brand boneless skinless chicken breast, but wings are just another story. The quality wasn't there, so I blame the store not Amanda

Amanda is 100% right that they are sticky, salty, and a little tiny dash of sweet. I was too impatient when it came to letting the sauce simmer forever, but it still was thicker than started. I served this with just plain white rice and butter. They smell AMAZING while cooking, I had to keep slapping the boy's hands away everytime he went toward that crockpot to lift the lid.

Next time I may cut down on the soy sauce since it was a tad too salty for my taste. I also might create the wings and strip them of their goodness and add veggies to the mix such as green peppers, onion, etc. and serve all that over rice.


Sticky Chinese Wings
from Amanda at Fake Ginger.

3 lbs chicken wings
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic powder together. Toss wings in the mixture and allow to marinate overnight. In the morning, put wings and marinade in slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove wings from slow cooker and transfer marinade (now sauce!) to a small saucepan. Allow to simmer until thickened. Pour over wings and enjoy!