Chili Chickpeas and Greens

I've been craving spicy, garlicky food lately (think crackers with La Vache and hot pepper jelly, shrimp tossed with garlic and a confetti of red chili pepper, our yummy picket line chili, chock full of corn, peppers, and chili powder), and so I decided to do a bit of recipe testing as a precursor to today's dinner. I was inspired by Nigella's Chickpeas with Rocket and Sherry and Scallops and Chorizo. Instead of separating the chickpeas & greens and the spice, I decided to throw them together into one pan. Easy peasy, as Jamie Oliver would say, and it very much fulfilled my craving for something spicy, garlicky, green and hearty. What serves as my post-recipe testing snack now will become the basis for tonight's dinner; the mixture will get tossed with whole wheat fusilli and a bit of parmesan cheese for a quick pasta dish that provides complete protein without meat. Great for my vegetarian friends (or vegan, without the cheese). And I didn't have to go grocery shopping to do it; these are ingredients that I always have on hand.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 tsp. dried chili flakes, or to taste
• Olive oil
• 1 can chickpeas, rinced and drained
• A couple of big handfuls of baby spinach
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

• In a saute pan over medium heat, heat a three-count of olive oil
  
• Add the garlic and chili flakes; saute until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to colour
• Add the chickpeas, stirring to coat
• When they're hot, add the spinach and stir to wilt
• Season with salt and squeeze over the lemon
• Serve as is, or toss with cooked whole wheat pasta, a bit of the pasta cooking water, and a couple of tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.