Today, a steaming hot chickpea and kale soup with pizzoccheri.
Inspired by the famous Tuscan ribollita, I used chickpeas instead of beans.
I avoided carrots and potatoes for a low glycemic index preparation.
Pizzoccheri is a buckwheat flour-based pasta with a glycemic index equal to brown rice, which is GI 50.
You can replace them with pasta, rice, or other preferably whole grains.
For chickpeas, I prepare several portions to have a small and practical stock in the freezer: cooking chickpeas [basic recipe] with a pressure cooker.
This way, just defrost a portion, and the pasta will be ready in a few minutes, avoiding canned legumes.
Otherwise, remember that dry chickpeas need soaking [12-24 hours].
If you have doubts about the quantities to prepare, I have noted the weight changes of legumes from raw to cooked: chickpeas raw and cooked weight.
Regarding the preparation time, consider:
• 12-24 hours of soaking;
• 40 minutes for cooking the chickpeas.
If you use already prepared chickpeas, calculate only the cooking time for the kale and pizzoccheri [pasta or rice].
In case of brothy first courses, to avoid glycemic peaks, it is advisable to cook the pasta separately and then rinse it and add it to the prepared brothy dressing separately; in this way, the starch released by the pasta in the cooking water is eliminated.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Portions: 2 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- pre-cooked chickpeas (for 2 people)
- leaves kale (5-6 large and outer)
- 1 pinch baking soda
- 1 pinch garlic powder (optional)
- 1 vegetable stock cube (homemade)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
- 160 g pizzoccheri
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (raw)
- 1 pinch red chili pepper (coarsely chopped)
Preparation
Prepare the chickpeas following the procedure described in cooking chickpeas [basic recipe] with a pressure cooker or, if you already have them ready in the freezer, defrost a double portion.
Select the leaves of the kale: 5-6 large and outer.
Wash them thoroughly.
Remove the central stem.In a pot, bring salted water to a boil.
Add the kale leaves without the central stem and a pinch of baking soda to keep them bright green and cook for 10 minutes.
With the help of tongs, remove the boiled kale leaves and transfer them to the pan with the chickpeas.
Save the kale cooking water to cook the pizzoccheri [pasta or rice].
In a pan, pour:
• the garlic [optional];
• the chickpeas;
• the boiled kale leaves;
• a vegetable stock cube [optional];
• a couple of ladles of kale cooking water if you have saved it or 200 ml of water;
bring to a boil and let it simmer for a few minutes until the desired consistency is reached.Add salt and grind the pepper.
Cook the pizzoccheri [pasta or rice] in the kale cooking water if saved, rinse under running water, and drain.
Meanwhile, heat the chickpea and kale soup.
Pour the pizzoccheri [pasta or rice] into the pan with the chickpea and kale soup and mix, breaking up the leaves.
Turn off the heat, add a drizzle of raw olive oil.Plate.
Add a pinch of coarsely chopped red chili pepper if desired.
Your pizzoccheri in chickpea and kale soup is ready.
Enjoy your meal!
… to replace chickpeas with other legumes [browse the collection: how to cook digestible and light legumes]:
• bean and kale soup;
• fava bean and kale soup;
• lentil and kale soup;
• pea and kale soup;
• mixed legume and kale soup.The combination with pasta, rice, or other grains allows you to better absorb the proteins in legumes.
The cereals included in these dishes, in fact, compensate for the amino acids lacking in legumes, allowing for a complete amino acid profile.
Preferably choose whole grains.
For further information: how to pair legumes in the diet.
Notes
Hyperglycemia, prediabetes and diabetes.
Here you will find dedicated recipes.
Remember:
• start the meal with a generous portion of vegetables [raw or cooked];
• a balanced meal must contain all nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats & fibers;
• always prepare it respecting the proportions and combinations of food indicated in your food plan.
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