Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas. Dice the onion, carrots, red bell pepper, and zucchini. Mince the garlic. Open the canned tomatoes. Measure out spices and stock.

Sauté aromatics

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook 5–7 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Cook vegetables

Add diced carrots and red bell pepper to the pot; cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the zucchini and cook another 3 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

Add tomato base & spices

Stir in 2 tbs tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes to slightly caramelize. Add smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper; stir to coat the vegetables and toast the spices for 30–45 seconds.

Simmer stew

Pour in the canned diced tomatoes (with juices) and 2 cups vegetable stock. Add the drained chickpeas and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer 15–20 minutes for flavors to meld and vegetables to become tender.

Finish and brighten

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the chopped fresh spinach and cook 2–3 minutes until wilted. Add 1 tbs fresh lemon juice, taste, and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.

Herbed Quinoa

While the stew simmers, prepare the quinoa. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup rinsed quinoa, 2 cups water or vegetable stock, 0.5 tbs olive oil, and 0.5 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in the chopped parsley and lemon zest.

Garnish & Serve

Divide the herbed quinoa among 4 bowls (about 1/2 cup cooked quinoa per serving as a base). Spoon the chickpea and veggie stew over the quinoa. Top each bowl with chopped cilantro or parsley, a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using. Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over each bowl.

Serving suggestion

Serve hot with lemon wedges on the side for extra brightness. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 4 days and can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.