Finding balance between the hustle of work and life and the desire to live slowly with intention is complicated. Different seasons of life seem to lean more one way than the other. I find that I can go for a certain period of time quickly accomplishing one task after another, but eventually I find myself exhausted, stressed, and as a result, craving rest and a deeper presence. My evening reading before bedtime is currently Sara Haggerty’s Unseen: The Gift of Being Hidden in a World that Loves to be Noticed, and it’s been challenging in countless ways. I’m wrestling with my own heart and motivations, and have been working on finding joy and contentment in in the quieter more “unseen” moments of life.
There’s been a lot of cooking without a lot of photos lately, but I loved this one so much and wanted to share it, so here’s my attempt at visuals. The recipe comes inspired by Melissa Clark’s harissa baked chicken from her Dinner: Changing the Game cookbook. I swapped in hearty chickpeas for the chicken to make a vegetarian main and it worked out beautifully- the chickpeas turn lightly crisp on the outside and remain tender creamy on the inside. It’s an all in one sheet pan dinner with golden roasted leeks and potatoes, served with a garlicky yogurt and sprinkle of paprika. Here’s to slow seasons of life with good food.
Baked Harissa Chickpeas with Leeks, Potatoes, and Garlic Yogurt
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 3-4 servings
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 by 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and dried
- 1 1/2 tablespoons harissa
- 1 1/2 + 1 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 + 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Garlic Yogurt
- 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Serving
- paprika and cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the potatoes and chickpeas with the harissa, olive oil, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Spread mixture evenly on a lightly oiled rimmed baking pan (mine was about 13″by 18″). Bake for 20 minutes.
- While chickpeas and potatoes are baking, prepare the leeks. Slice leeks in half lengthwise and clean any dirt between the layers. Thinly slice leeks into half moons and toss with olive oil, salt, and lemon zest.
- Gently flip potatoes and scatter leeks over the baking sheet. Bake until chickpeas are lightly crisp and leeks begin to turn golden, about 25 minutes longer.
- While the chickpeas continue to bake, prepare yogurt sauce. Use a microplane to finely grate the garlic into the yogurt and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
- Serve warm with dollops of yogurt, a scattering of cilantro, and a sprinkle of paprika.
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Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
Oh goodness, Emily! I love this sheetpan dinner and post in general. I do a similar recipe, but with cauliflower included but haven’t tried it with Harissa… I’ve gotta give it a go. I love your food! Have I told you that lately? Regarding “living in a world that loves to be noticed..” I completely understand. I’ve been struggling with this and for me, it is moving from struggle, to acceptance. Thank you for your note on IG with regards to unplugging . It is not always easy when you work online – and I’ve read from those ‘in the know’ that if you’re not on social, you may as well be invisible (well that was crushing :/ ). Running a business online requires it … But, I’m finding what works for me, my family and life in general. I want to be present in two places, but I’ve only so much time. So I choose my physical world over my virtual. I’m not sure I’ll ever have the energy for both like I want. But acceptance feels better than struggle and I’m finding there is what I need right now. I look forward to your sharing when you can. Sending love and hugs xo
Emily says
I think we could talk for hours about this! I know you understand the issues all too well. I have always admired you for your authenticity, and I am so grateful for your friendship, Traci! You’ll never be invisible to me. 😉
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
<3 <3 <3
Madeline says
This sounds so amazing! I am always looking for 1) sheet pan meals 2) easy vegetarian recipes to incorporate into the weekly rotation. Love the addition of garlic yogurt too. Oh and your writing is beautiful. I feel like I have been in a weird season the past year or so and am just trying to savor and be thankful for the small things. It makes a huge difference in the day to day when we slow down to savor it.
Emily says
Thank you, Madeline! You’ve been on such a roll with your photography lately, and I have honestly loved seeing you grow and spread that passion of yours. Thanks for the reminder to be thankful for the small things- so true.