Chickpeas & Chard with Pan-Roasted Tomatoes

I've had a string of bad luck with recipes lately. Well, not really "bad," but I've made a few things over the last week or so that were disappointingly bland and not worth blogging about. I will share some pictures, though, because they were both kind of pretty! The first one was this Kerala-style edamame curry recipe from Vegetarian Times. I was so excited to make it, but it ended up having very little flavor.

The other one was this eggplant compote tossed with pasta and topped with a poached egg. I think this recipe came from Bon Appetit? It was also disappointing because it just tasted kind of boring. (I always love a poached egg, though.)

These recipes were both kind of complicated in their own ways. The curry had a lot of whole spices going on, and the pasta dish involved poaching eggs (something neither Joe nor I have managed to quite master). So last night I was just kind of fed up and felt like making something really simple that wasn't going to be spectacular in any way but that was just going to taste good. Not crazy good, but plain and satisfying good. I ended up throwing together this simple recipe from (appropriately enough) Real Simple magazine, and it fit the bill pretty well. Simple flavors, fresh ingredients, unfussy preparation. Sometimes that's just what you need.

Chickpeas & Chard with Pan-Roasted Tomatoes
Paraphrased from Real Simple

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided (if you're using a nonstick pan -- use more if using a regular pan)
• 4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• One bunch chard, washed thoroughly, thick stems removed, leaves torn
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• One 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Cook the rice according to package instructions. In the meantime, heat one teaspoon olive oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick pan. (Use more oil if not using a nonstick pan.) Add the tomato halves, cut side down, and cook 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until starting to brown. Flip tomatoes onto their "backs" and cook 1 more minute. Remove to a plate. Add the other teaspoon of oil to the pan and lower heat to medium. Add the chard, garlic, raisins, 2 tablespoons water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few pinches of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the chard wilts, about 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas and lemon juice and heat through until warm. Adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve with the rice and tomatoes.