Zinc-Forward Chickpea and Pumpkin-Seed Skillet with Chard

Why it works

Zinc sits at the center of sperm development and testosterone metabolism in men, and healthy ovulation in women, and pumpkin seeds plus chickpeas rank among the most concentrated plant sources you can find. Pair them with vitamin-C-rich tomato and quinoa's complete protein, and you improve how much of that plant zinc and iron your body can pull out and use. Chard rounds the plate out with folate and magnesium, the kind of preconception-friendly plate that does its work quietly.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 1 can chickpeas, 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
• 1 bunch rainbow chard, stems and leaves chopped
• 1 can diced tomatoes, 14 ounces
• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Method

1. Rinse the quinoa and simmer in 1 cup water for about 15 minutes until the grains are fluffy, then set aside.
2. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until they pop and turn golden, then transfer to a plate.
3. Warm the olive oil in the same skillet and soften the onion and chard stems for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Stir in the chickpeas and diced tomatoes and simmer for 8 minutes, then fold in the chard leaves until just wilted and season with salt.
6. Spoon over the quinoa and shower with the toasted pumpkin seeds.