Hi y’all!  What a gorgeous weekend we had in Atlanta!!  Riche and I were able to get outside and enjoy some of our favorite activities including running a 5k and then a bonus treat of Barre3 in the park under the beautiful sun.  We couldn’t have asked for a better weekend.  Except for maybe trying some yummy new recipes!  The biggest hit and standout from the weekend was a recipe I prepared for our weekly Sunday Family Dinner… Spicy Moroccan Bowls.  This Hungry Southern Belle took her family on a trip to Morocco with a fabulous Barre3 recipe.  While the recipe was originally intended to be a vegetarian dish, I took a little liberty in adding an additional protein (grilled boneless/skinless chicken thighs) to enhance the overall dish and give us a little extra protein after all the calories we burned over the weekend.  Both versions were DELICIOUS!!!!  As my Dad said, this dish is a keeper!  Enjoy!

(Recipe courtesy of Barre3.com and Chef Katie Kahn)

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cooked quinoa, brown rice, or whole-wheat couscous (I used a basmati brown rice/quinoa blend)
3 tsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced into thin rounds and halved
1 Tbs. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ginger, ground
Pinch of red pepper flakes, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 cup raisins
1 14.5-oz. can tomatoes, diced with juices
1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Zest of one lemon
Juice of half of lemon
1/4 cup almond meal
Chopped almonds for garnish
Parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add yellow onion and sauté for about 5 minutes or until soft.
2. Meanwhile, prepare grain of choice in a separate saucepan.
3. Add garlic to the onion and continue cooking and stirring for an additional minute. Then add the spices and cook for one minute.
4. Add the broth, raisins, tomatoes, and chickpeas. At this point you’ll need to bring mixture to a boil to heat through.
5. Add lemon zest and juice and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in almond meal and allow to cook for another 1-2 minutes.
6. Serve over quinoa, brown rice, or the more traditional option, whole wheat couscous. Top with chopped almonds and parsley.