Mediterranean Chickpea Bowls with Tahini Sauce Recipe

In a small bowl, whisk tahini with 2 tablespoons of the warm water, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, honey, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Give the dressing a taste. Add salt if needed. If it needs more acid or tastes slightly bitter, add more lemon juice one teaspoon at a time. If the dressing is too thick, add more water a tablespoon at a time.

Drain chickpeas and rinse well in a colander. Rub the chickpeas gently with a clean, lint-free towel to dry, or let them air dry for about 10 minutes. When dry, toss the chickpeas in a mixing bowl with paprika, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper. Add half a tablespoon of the olive oil and mix until well-coated.

Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on contact. Add the remaining olive oil and tilt the pan to evenly coat.

Immediately add the chickpeas. Stir constantly for 3 to 5 minutes until they are warmed through. Turn off heat, then add garlic and chili (if using), and mix well.

Toss with fresh herbs just before serving.

Divide the spinach evenly between four bowls. Top each bowl with ½ cup of brown rice, ½ cup warm chickpeas, a quarter of the tomatoes, a quarter of the cucumber, and a quarter of the red onion.

Drizzle with tahini dressing, and top with fresh mint leaves.