Curried Spinach and Chickpeas

Sometimes, when I'm working in lab, I feel the urge to shout

"STAND BACK! I'M ABOUT TO ATTEMPT SCIENCE!"

Yeah. I'm weird.

But somehow, it seems as though things always go horribly wrong whenever I stop and become aware of what I'm actually doing (i.e., if I overthink something while working with cells, the cells are bound to kick it within a few hours).

What drives me bonkers is when my co-workers (as much as I love them) tell me to think of a protocol as "just like cooking."

I'm sorry. It's not "just like cooking." It's cancer cells, and fetal calf serum, and chemotherapeutic drugs. It costs way more money than spinach and chickpeas, I can't taste it to season it and make sure the balance of ingredients is right, and I certainly can't eat it when it's done.

So it's nice to come home every night and be able to follow a recipe where I can use my senses to make sure everything is in balance.

Speaking of balance... No idea what this bear is doing with its arms:

So few things in life go smoothly and come with instructions that can be fudged to satisfy you and you alone.

Put down the phone and the takeout menu, and make this 7-ingredient dinner that will both satiate your hunger and validate your existence.

Okay, well, at least I know the former to be true.

Curried Spinach and Chickpeas


Adapted from the 10 Things You Need to Eat

3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
2 tbsp curry powder
2 tbsp honey
1 cup vegetable stock
One 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
16 oz bag frozen spinach, thawed
Salt

Heat the oil in a skillet; add onions and cook until translucent. Add in curry powder and honey, and stir until combined. Add in the rest of the ingredients, except for the salt, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Add salt to taste, and serve immediately.