Roast garlic by mixing with a splash of veggie broth and some salt. Wrap in tin foil , and/or parchment and roast at 400°F (200°C) degrees for 20-25 minutes until garlic is browning and looks caramelized.
Chop onions. Pulse chickpeas in a food processor until coarsely chopped, only 2-3 times. You can also crush them a bit with your hands if you prefer.
Saute onions and ¼ teaspoon salt in a pan over medium heat until they begin to brown and get fragrant. Add chickpeas and tomato paste and sauté a few more minutes.
Add crushed tomatoes and spices and mix again for a few minutes. Add spinach and rest of salt, cover and cook about 10 minutes. Mix to make it saucy. It will be thick versus a thinner marinara type of sauce.
Meanwhile cook your penne according to package directions and make Hemp Almond Parmesan.
Mix penne and sauce, then serve topped with roasted garlic and Hemp Almond Parmesan.
Notes
You can control how smoky or spicy you want this dish by putting less of more of the spices in. The optional garlic and parmesan are highly recommended as they make this meal even tastier.
I give directions on roasting garlic in the instruction section.
Tips to prep ahead: Wash spinach and chop onion.
Baby/kid food idea: Remove crushed red pepper so it isn’t spicy.