I’m convinced that you can only have happy thoughts if you eat well. I believe that the path to happiness generally goes via the kitchen. If you cook with fresh ingredients and love, then basically what you’re cooking is healthy and you don’t need to count calories or check your nutrient levels.
There are, however, natural products that are particularly good for us. For example, chickpeas, the pulses with the funny name. Apart from the fact that they are small and roll off your plate easily, these centuries-old kitchen staples are completely unrelated to garden peas. But they are natural little powerhouses full of proteins, minerals and dietary fibre.
Before you can use chickpeas that have been dried for storage, you need to soak them in water overnight, then the next day you can boil them until they are soft. They taste particularly good served with plenty of parsley, for example in a frittata. Ideal as a substantial breakfast or a nourishing and sustaining lunch.
You need 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 onions (peeled and thinly sliced), 200 g cooked chickpeas, 2 big bunches of parsley (coarsely chopped), 1 chilli pepper (deseeded and finely chopped), a pinch each of ground cumin and aniseed, 6 eggs, 350 ml milk, salt and ½ tsp black cumin (nigella seeds).
Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook the sliced onion on a medium heat for 8-10 minutes until golden brown, stirring continuously. Add the spices and chilli and cook briefly. Add the chickpeas and parsley to the pan, mix well and add salt to taste. Beat the eggs and milk, season with salt, add to the pan and cook until firm. Finish cooking the frittata in an oven preheated to 200 °C (hot air) for about 8 minutes, turn it out onto a large plate and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley leaves and black cumin.