This is my all time favourite mid-week supper and I eat it at least twice a week. I love how easy it is to make, how incredibly nutritious it is and of course how tasty it is (food always tastes better when it’s eaten in a bowl with a spoon don’t you think?) Although this isn’t a vegan dish it’s packed with plant-based goodness and gut healthy diversity points and it’s an easy one to adapt based on your personal preferences. Sometimes I add sliced mushrooms or small diced potatoes (add an extra 10 mins on if potato pieces are in there) and if I’m out of chickpeas I’ll use whatever I have on hand - butterbeans, cannellini beans, borlotti beans etc. If I don’t have fresh cherry tomatoes I used tinned tomatoes which are just as tasty and always in the cupboard. Trust me - this will fast become your favourite go-to dish and whether you eat it on its own or as a base for your favourite protein (salmon is delicious with this) you’ll soon become addicted.
Ingredients:
Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side
½ sweetheart cabbage finely shredded
250g cherry tomatoes (I like cherry plum tomatoes best for this)
1 x 400g tin chickpeas drained
½ tub tomato puree
125g low fat cream cheese
150g baby spinach
1 tbsp garlic cloves in brine (approx. 12) *
2 tbsps light olive oil
½ tsp seasalt
Ground black pepper
To serve (optional):
2 tbsps grated parmesan
1 tbsp crispy onion pieces
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
To make:
1. Layer all the ingredients (apart from the spinach) in a large casserole dish as follows: cabbage on the bottom followed by the tomatoes, chickpeas and garlic cloves (whole). Add the tomato puree and cream cheese in spoonfuls across the top (divide puree and cream cheese into approx 3 spoons of each and dot over the veg) Drizzle the olive oil over the top along with the salt and pepper
2. Bake in a pre-heated over at 180c, uncovered for 40 mins
3. Remove from the oven and stir well, bursting the cherry tomatoes as you stir. With the tomatoes, the puree and the cream cheese in the mix the dish self -sauces at this stage
4. Add the spinach in two batches, stirring well each time until it wilts into the mix
5. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan on top, some crispy onion pieces and some finely chopped parsley
*I use jars of marinated garlic cloves for this which are delicious and much milder than raw garlic which is why I add so many. They’re also incredibly good for you. If you don’t have these at hand you can use fresh but don’t use 12! If you’re using fresh garlic I’d recommend 3 finely sliced cloves for the above quantities.
