Mediterranean Chickpea and Spinach Stew with Soft Polenta

This is a stew built for spooning over something soft and warm, and creamy polenta finished with a little parmesan is exactly that. The chickpea and spinach base simmers in a garlicky tomato broth until everything is tender and the flavors have had time to come together.

Chickpeas and spinach both bring genuine folate to the table, along with fiber and plant protein, which is why this dish is tagged for pregnancy and fits comfortably within a Mediterranean, vegetarian pattern of eating. Parmesan is a hard, aged cheese, so it's a safe way to add a little calcium and savoriness to the polenta.

It's a filling, meatless dinner that still feels substantial thanks to the creamy base underneath.