Chickpea-Squash Bake

I mean really... This could actually be our easiest recipe yet (though Blackeyed Peas and Kale is pretty tough to beat on that front).

It's especially good when you want something that's deeply nourishing and warming, and you just want to hurry up and get it in the oven.

Fun fact: Butternut squash has mild sedative effects. It's especially helpful if you're feeling anxious or having trouble settling, and is amazing for postpartum, especially mixed with lots of warming ginger in a soup. This winter food helps us ease into the deep rest that's intended in the colder months.

All of that said, this dish is just plain easy and yummy. Plus the flavors are so simple, you can use it as the base for a bowl. We'll sprinkle greens, pine nuts, avocado...all kinds of things over top, or just have it plain with some salad or kale.

It's also really easy to double, and is a cheap meal for a big crowd or potluck.
 

2 15-oz cans of chickpeas, washed thoroughly
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 small chopped onion (You can leave this out if your belly doesn't like onions.)
garam masala seasoning (You may not have this on hand; if not, it's a mixture of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, black pepper, and coriander. Feel free to play around with your own combo of seasonings.)
Olive oil

Also, think about whatever you want to serve it over. We'll usually pressure cook some wild rice (it's got loads of iron, protein, and other good stuff) with a little No-Chicken Bouillon, or a brown/wild rice mix.  
 

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Toss the chickpeas and squash into a baking dish (we like glass). Drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil just to give a light coating, then sprinkle over a few teaspoons of the seasoning, give it all a toss, and sprinkle again. (Err on the side of too little seasoning--you can always add more after it bakes. Same thing with salt--we like to add sea salt to taste on our individual servings.)

Place dish in the over and back for about 30-40 mins, depending on the size of your squash pieces. (A fork inserted in the squash should come out easily, but you don't want the chickpeas to dry out.) 

Stir it up and serve over your prepared grain.