Spinach with chickpeas, pine nuts and raisins

Serve this simple spinach side dish with chicken dishes that are made in the style of Spain. 

Almonds that have been toasted work too.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 large long shallot, sliced
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 400g can chickpeas, drained
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 4 tbsp golden or flame raisins
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 200g spinach

Method

In a large pan that doesn't stick, heat the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until they become soft. Cook for 2 minutes after adding the spices, chickpeas, and raisins.

Add the spinach and cook until it is almost done. Add the pine nuts and serve with a little more oil drizzled on top.

Olive oil goes well with a lot of different foods, and it also has some health benefits. It can help lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, for example.

Olive oil is one of the oldest oils that has been used in the Mediterranean. 

The ancient Greeks used it to cook and also in medicine and beauty products.

Olive oil is also one of the healthiest foods because it has a low amount of sodium and a lot of antioxidants. It also has oleic acid, which is a natural preservative and antioxidant that helps fight free radicals that can cause diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Information 

Chickpeas :

Chickpeas are a very healthy and nutritious food. They have iron, magnesium, folate, and fiber. They are also low in fat, which makes them great for people who are trying to lose weight.

Chickpeas are used in dishes like hummus, which can make you feel very full. A tabbouleh salad and a chickpea flour pancake with falafel sauce are also on the menu. When you add yogurt to chickpea flour pancakes, they become high in protein. Chickpeas can also be used to make granola bars that can help you lose weight if you eat them after you work out or as a snack before you work out.

Chickpeas have been eaten for thousands of years, but there was no way to process them until about 100 years ago, when people started drying them to make them last longer before cooking them. This led to the creation of humus, which is ground chickpeas mixed with tahini, lemon juice, and salt.

Golden raisins :

Golden raisins are a type of raisin that has been exposed to high-intensity, short-wave radiation, which is what gives them their golden color.

In the 1960s, golden raisins were found in a stash of raisins that had been forgotten. People in many countries eat golden raisins, and they can be found in different kinds today.

As these golden raisins become more popular and easier to find, more people want to buy them. Irradiating these golden raisins has made them easier to move and store, and they haven't changed much over time.