Vegetable Paella with Chickpeas
BellaFina™ peppers may be used to create a wide variety of recipes, from appetizers to main dishes. BellaFina peppers are often used in salads, vegetables trays with or without dip, cooked in stews and sauces and stuffed with meat, cheese and grains.
Grown on the vine in the field, BellaFina peppers are a great source of vitamins and nutrients. They are low calorie, fat free, sodium free and high in Vitamin C.
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
3-4 Bellafina peppers, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 ½ cups uncooked arborio rice
1 (14 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
4 ½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
heaping ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups halved green beans (trimmed first)
½ cup frozen peas
¾ cup chopped artichoke hearts (from a can)
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
additional salt and red pepper flakes, to taste
fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges, for serving
DIRECTIONS:
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Add the olive oil to a large, deeper-style nonstick skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add in the onion and cook for about 2 minutes, until it starts to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add in the peppers and carrot and cook for 3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the rice. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, until toasted. Add the tomatoes (with their juices), the broth, saffron, paprika, salt, green beans, peas, artichokes and chickpeas to the skillet and stir to combine.
Increase the heat and bring the mixture just to a boil. Cover, turn down the heat and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and let stand covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and red pepper flakes to your liking (we like a good amount of red pepper to give it heat! I also typically add about ½ to ¾ teaspoon additional salt). Garnish with the fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Slightly adapted from a recipe from cooknourishbliss.com