I just love paring herbs up with savory and sweet recipes. Herbs can create that hint of flavor you are looking for in savory dishes, or they can accompany sweet dishes to create a slight contrast in flavors. In this recipe, I pared sweet and creamy pumpkin with crunchy and savory chickpeas to create a completely different sensation of flavor!
Millet is a grain similar to quinoa in texture and appearance, it has a slightly nutty taste when toasted and is used in with many different types of dishes. Sage is one of my favorite herbs during the cooler months, it has a taste that is just hard to describe but defiantly cannot be mistaken. An old proverb states that "why should a man die, if he has sage in his garden?" since sage is known for its healing properties. Whenever I smell the relaxing sent of sage, it reminds me of thanksgiving when my mom makes her cornbread dressing and the air is filled with the sent of fresh herbs! Pumpkin might seem like a weird combination to include in this recipe but it really is recognized for it texture over flavor. Pumpkin provides a certain creaminess and subtle sweetness to this savory dish. Chickpeas add a crunchy texture that just takes this recipe over the top!
Herb Roasted Chickpeas over Creamy Pumpkin Millet
For the roasted chickpeas,
1 cup cooked chickpeas
2 tsp safflower oil
8 large fresh sage leaves (torn)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 tsp salt
2 tsp raw honey or agave
For the millet,
1/2 cup dry millet (or grain of choice)
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 tbs raw honey or agave
¼ cup light coconut milk (from the can)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Combine chickpeas with chopped herbs; 1 ½ thyme sprigs, two rosemary sprigs and four sage leaves. Add raw honey, salt, and oil, toss chickpeas to combine with seasonings. Roast chickpeas for about 30 minutes stirring after 10-20 minutes to prevent burning.
While chickpeas are cooking, add millet to a pot along with ¾ cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until all liquid is adsorbed, adding pumpkin about half way through cooking time. Once all the water is gone, add in almond milk and raw honey, stir to combine.
To serve, spread ½ of the millet mixture on a plate and top with the crunchy roasted chickpeas. Garnish with fresh sage leaves and thyme.
*these crunchy chickpeas are a favorite snack of mine, they can be served on a salad, as an appetizer or as a side dish!