February 19, 2021

One pot Masala Oats, Chickpea & Vegetable Stew- vegan, gluten free.

Spread the taste

One pot meals are my best friends, in addition to ready to eat greens, canned beans and packaged tofu during busy weekdays. In the process of trying to shift from usual meals (rice or roti with vegetable based dishes) to a more balanced, whole food plant based foods, I started to build dishes with basic ideal plate framework in terms of macronutrients. In this conscious calculated effort a commonly winning formula is adding wholegrains with a good amount of legumes, and as many vegetables as possible in my one pot meals. That enables intake of diverse nutrients and fiber for a healthy gut.

Oats are nutritious, easy to cook, and add a creamy texture to any dish. Why not try them for dinner instead of usual breakfast oat meal? Steel cut oats, that are least processed kind of oats, rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber, have better nutrition profile and lower glycemic index than rolled oats. * Steel cut oats have double the fiber (5g in 1/4 cup) than rolled oats *. So this recipe uses steel cut oats for the whole grain. The addition of chickpeas, packs the amazing plant protein along with some more fiber. Lots of veggies bring in many phytonutrients , which along with spices makes it a hearty comforting meal.

Spices are the spark of this dish. Whole spices and a touch of garam masala, add heat that is invigorating in the cold winter evenings. Super healthy, fragrant, rich and filling this is a definite hit in the one pot meal category.

One pot Masala Oats Chickpea Vegetable stew

A healthy, comforting, spice infused, nourishing stew with oats, chickpeas and a garden of vegetables

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Prep Time 1

Cook Time 40

Course Soup

Servings 6 people

Equipment

Pressure cooker/ instant pot – optional

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup steel cut oats – soak in 3 cups water for one hour
2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 can
3 bell peppers- cubed
1 chopped celery stalk
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 carrot sliced
1 broccoli bunch heads chopped
1 cup zucchini or any squash chopped
2 medium tomatoes chopped
1 tsp oil- avocado oil or olive oil optional
3 chopped garlic cloves
1 inch ginger root grated
32 oz vegetable broth
cilantro to garnish
1 lime – squeezed after cooking

Spices and spice mixes

2 cinnamon sticks
3 cloves
3 star anise
1 bayleaf
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala powder optional – adds more spice flavor
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp red chili powder optional
salt to taste

Instructions

Soak the steel cut oats in water for at least an hour.
Cut all the veggies you have on hand. Don't worry about cutting them finely, as they will get cooked. So aim for about 1 inch size.
Take a soup pot, place it on medium heat or if using instant pot, turn into saute mode.
Add oil to heat. If avoiding oil, just add 3 Tbsp water and let it heat up.
Add garlic, ginger and whole spices, Saute them, till the aroma is felt.
Then add the onions, tomatoes. Mix well ,let them cook for 2-3 min.
Now add all the veggies one after another, hardest to softest. Mix gently with a spatula and let them cook for about 8-9 min.
Add the vegetable broth. Give it 4-5 min to heat up. Then add the chickpeas.
Now add the spice powders, salt . Stir gently. Add salt per taste. Let the flavors blend in nicely. for the next 5 min.
At this stage add the steel cut oats along with the water used for soaking. Mix it all together.
From here, the process depends on the equipment you are using.
If using just a soup pot on stove, cover with a lid and simmer for good 45 min to one hour.
If using a stove top pressure cooker, put the lid on and let it cook till one whistle. Let it cool down before opening. Don't force it to open.
If using instant pot, put the lid on, go to slow cook mode for 45 min. Alternatively, if in a time crunch, cook in pressure mode for 10 min.
Once done, add the lime juice. Remove the bay leaf and any large spices visible to you. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.