Serve this solar baked vegetarian entree with a salad and some grilled vegetables and nobody will miss the meat.

Vegan Chickpea Bake with Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

1 pound dried chickpeas previously cooked with 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid reserved

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon whole wheat flour

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground dried sage

Tahini sauce for serving*

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat. Coat a shallow metal or glass baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.

Place the chickpeas in a food processor with 1 tablespoon of cooking liquid and process adding additional liquid as needed. Transfer the ground chickpeas to a large bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients mixing well. Pat the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and a tea towel. Bake in the preheated Sun Oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drizzle each serving with tahini sauce.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

*Tahini sauce is easy to make and can be used in sandwiches or as a dip. The recipe I use can be found here.

Using a Dutch oven, or any other kind of cast iron cookware, means longer cooking times. On the upside it retains heat longer. In the summer months I often leave the dutch oven in the Sun Oven until dinner time. If you leave the glass door closed your meal will stay warm for about an hour even after the sun goes down.

Sun Oven Slow Simmered Vegetable Curry

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 carrots, peeled and sliced on a diagonal

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons ground curry powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups previously cooked chickpeas or 1 (15.5-ounce) can, drained

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

2 cups vegetables stock

1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed

1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

salt

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the carrots and onion. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, curry powder, coriander, and cayenne. Add the potatoes, green beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, and stock. Cover and transfer to the Sun Oven until the vegetables are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the Sun Oven and stir in the peas and coconut milk. Season to taste with salt. Serve over rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Chickpeas and spices give this frittata an Indian twist.

Indian Spiced Frittata

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup Swiss chard leaves, chopped

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 (9 ounce can) drained

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

8 eggs

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat.

Combine the oil and onions in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Put skillet, uncovered, in the Sun Oven and sauté until the onions are soft. Stir in fennel seeds, red pepper, and chopped Swiss chard. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook chard until wilted. Remove skillet from the Sun Oven and let cool slightly. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, stir in chickpeas and peas. Season with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture into the skillet with the onions and chard. Cover with a lid and cook in the Sun Oven until set, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cut into wedges and serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Anytime a recipe calls for sautéing it can be done in the Sun Oven. Just remember to keep an eye on it, sautéed garlic (or anything else) is almost as easy to burn in the Sun Oven as it is stovetop.

Sun Oven Chickpea and Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients

1/2 pound dried chick peas, previously cooked, drained reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

10 ounces cauliflower flowerets, fresh or frozen (thawed)

1 carton or canned (26.5 ounces) chopped tomatoes

8 black olives, pitted and chopped

1 tablespoon vinegar

salt

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 pound whole-wheat pasta, shells, elbow macaroni or similar shape, cooked according to package instructions

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Set Sun Oven out to preheat.

In a large pot, sauté the garlic in the olive oil until golden brown; can be done in the Sun Oven or stovetop. Add the red pepper and cauliflower. Stir to coat. Add tomatoes, olives, vinegar, chickpeas and 1/2 cup reserved chickpea cooking water. Season with salt. Cover and simmer in the Sun Oven until the the cauliflower is tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Pour the soup into a large serving bowl. Stir in parsley, cooked pasta, and cheese. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

This fragrant vegetarian stew is perfect for dinner on a cold winter’s evening.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 1/2 cups baby carrots

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup orange juice

2 teaspoons honey

1/2 cup dried currants or raisins

1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons toasted slivered almonds.

Preparation

Set Global Sun Oven out to preheat.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne. Add the carrots, sweet potato, broth, orange juice, honey and currants. Cover and transfer to Sun Oven. Cook until the vegetables just begin to soften, about 45 minutes. Stir in kale, chickpeas, and salt; replace lid and continue cooking in the Sun Oven until vegetables are tender and kale is wilted, about 30 minutes. Serve over couscous or rice and sprinkle with the almonds.

The curried chicken soup  from Saturday’s post can easily become vegetarian by using vegetable broth and substituting chickpeas for the chicken. Both soups are also good when served over rice for a more filling meal.

Sun Oven Curried Chickpea and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

4 cups vegetable broth

1 can (13 1/2 ounces) coconut milk

2 tablespoons mild curry powder

1 can (15 ounce) chickpeas

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 green onions, thinly sliced (keep green and white parts separate)

1/2 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

salt to taste

Preparation

Remove leveling tray from the Global Sun Oven and place a trivet or rack on the floor of the cooking chamber. Set Sun Oven out to preheat.

Blend the broth, coconut milk, and curry powder in a large pot. Add chickpeas and the sweet potatoes. Cover and cook in Sun Oven until the potatoes are soft, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pot from the Sun Oven. Keep the soup warm over medium-low heat. Stir in the green parts of the green onions, peas, and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook until the peas are tender, about 1 minute. Stir in the lime juice and serve.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

One thing I love about online recipes are the reviews. In the pre-internet days I always felt I had to follow a recipe exactly as written. That meant lots of last minute runs to the store for a missing ingredient and a drawer full of expensive spices that I may have only used once.  Once my favorite publications began making their recipes available online I was surprised to discover that almost  no-one follows a recipe to the T; or at least not the ones who take the time to write reviews. Now when I try out a new recipe I don’t mind improvising with ingredients I happen to have on hand. This recipe adapted from one I found on Martha Stewart’s site is a perfect example. Hers used cannellini beans and scallions in place of the chickpeas and minced onion in mine, and, of course, a slow cooker rather than a Sun Oven.

Sun Oven Couscous and Chickpea Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

4 bell peppers, orange, yellow, or red

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup couscous, dry

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Place Global Sun Oven out to preheat

Slice off tops of peppers just below the stem. Discard stems, chop tops and put in a bowl. Remove ribs and seeds from peppers. Carefully slice a thin layer from the bottom of each pepper so they stay standing. Put the sliced off layers in the bottom of each pepper. Add chickpeas, feta, couscous, onion, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to the chopped peppers. Stuff the peppers with the couscous mixture. Place the peppers in a lidded pot or roasting pan, cover and place in Sun Oven. Bake until peppers are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Serves 4

Getting the timing right for cooking dried chickpeas is tricky even when using traditional cooking methods. The older they are the longer they take to cook. For this reason I like to get chickpea based dishes started early in the day. You can always wait until it’s closer to dinner time to add in the other ingredients, or, they might even be ready in time for lunch. In any case, the superior texture and flavor of dried chickpeas make up for the guess work involved.

Spicy Solar Chickpea Curry

Ingredients

2 cups dried chickpeas, picked over

8 cups baby spinach leaves

2 (15 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Preparation

Soak chickpeas overnight in a large bowl with enough water to cover them by two inches.

Set Global Sun Oven out to preheat.

Drain chickpeas, put them in a large pot with 1 cup water. Cover and cook in the GSO until tender, 3 to 4 hours. Stir in spinach, tomatoes and their juices, coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and pepper. Return pot to GSO and cook for another hour or more. Remove pot from GSO, stir in cilantro and remaining salt. Serve with rice.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

This is a simple, yet satisfying chicken dish that is perfect for solar cooking. The green beans were cooked along with it, in a parchment packet that I put on top of the dutch oven towards the end of the cooking time.

Sun Oven Chicken with Turmeric and Chickpeas

1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
6 chicken thighs, skinned
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained

Set Global Sun Oven out to preheat

Heat oil in a large dutch oven, add onion and cook until softened. Stir in turmeric; add chicken, turning to coat. Add water, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and garlic. Place in Sun Oven for approx. 2 hours or until chicken is tender. Mix in chickpeas and leave in Sun Oven until heated. Serve over couscous with hot sauce.

Braising, baking, and slow cooking are a few of the things that the GSO does best, but it’s not limited to that. And while you can’t use it for deep frying, it is possible to pan fry with satisfactory results. These chickpea patties paired with a salad make a quick and easy lunch using ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. They may take longer than normal to crisp up, but on the plus side they can be left unattended while you prepare the salad.

Sun Oven Chickpea Patties

Ingredients

1 (15.5-oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation

Set Global Sun Oven out to preheat.

Put oil in a dark, rimmed baking pan and set in GSO to heat.

Preparation

Pulse first 5 ingredients (chickpeas through salt) in a food processor until coarsely chopped and mixture comes together. Transfer to a bowl, add egg and 2 tablespoons flour. Form into 8 patties. Place remaining flour in a small dish and roll patties in it; tap off excess flour.

Cook patties in preheated, oiled baking pan, turning halfway through, until golden. About 15 minutes per side.

Serve with Tzaztzki sauce.