Mediterranean Chickpea Bowls with Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup tahini, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup warm water
• Juice 1/2 to 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon honey, agave, or maple syrup
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup finely minced parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 16-ounce can chickpeas
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh chili, optional
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh herbs
• 6 cups baby spinach
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced
• Fresh mint leaves

Directions

1. For the tahini sauce, whisk the tahini in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons warm water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the honey, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper until smooth.
2. Taste the sauce and adjust it if needed. Add more salt if it tastes flat, more lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time if it needs brightness or has a faint bitterness, or more water 1 tablespoon at a time if it is thicker than you want.
3. You can prepare the sauce several days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Before using, bring it closer to room temperature, or warm it very briefly in the microwave, so it loosens enough to drizzle.
4. To heat the chickpeas, pour them into a colander, drain, and rinse thoroughly. Pat them dry with a clean, lint-free towel, or leave them to dry in the air for about 10 minutes. Once dry, place them in a mixing bowl and toss with the paprika, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper, then add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and stir until the spices coat them evenly.
5. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and let it get hot enough that a water droplet crackles as soon as it hits the surface. Pour in the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, turning the skillet so the oil covers the bottom.
6. Add the chickpeas right away. Cook, stirring the whole time, until they are hot, 3 to 5 minutes. Take the skillet off the heat, add the garlic and chili if you are using it, and stir everything together.
7. Right before serving, fold in the fresh herbs. The chickpeas are best warm, though they can also be prepared ahead and served cold.
8. To build the bowls, portion the spinach evenly among 4 bowls. Add 1/2 cup brown rice to each, followed by 1/2 cup warm chickpeas, then divide the tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion into 4 equal portions and add them on top. Finish each bowl with tahini sauce and fresh mint leaves.