Mediterranean Chickpea Bowl
Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can of chickpeas
1 bell pepper
½ cup cherry tomatoes
1 small cucumber
1 lemon
¾ cup Israeli Couscous
1 cup vegetable stock
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
¼ cup kalamata olives
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon fresh sage
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
2-3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Salt
Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drain and rinse chickpeas. De-stem and deseed bell pepper and cut into ¼ inch strips. Thinly slice cucumber. Remove thyme from the stem and roughly chop sage leaves. Mince garlic. Zest and halve lemon.
In a small bowl, whisk juice of one lemon half, white wine vinegar, 1 tsp. Olive Oil, and pepper. Add cucumber to the bowl and toss to coat. Set aside to pickle.
On a baking sheet, toss chickpeas with 1 tbsp. Olive Oil, smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.
On a separate baking sheet, toss bell pepper strips and cherry tomatoes with ½ tbsp. Olive Oil, thyme, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Put both baking sheets in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until chickpeas are crispy on the outside and vegetables look charred and roasted.
While vegetables cook, heat 1 tbsp. Olive Oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add sage and stir for an additional 30 seconds. Add israeli couscous and toast for 30 seconds. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover the pot and let simmer for 12-14 minutes (until liquid has absorbed).
While couscous cooks, combine greek yogurt, juice of the other lemon half, half the lemon zest, and feta cheese. Stir, then whisk in 1-2 teaspoons of warm water until you’ve reached desired consistency. I like to be able to pour my feta dressing!
Once vegetables and couscous have finished cooking, divide couscous between serving bowls. Top with crispy chickpeas, roasted tomatoes and peppers, pickled cucumber and kalamata olives. Drizzle yogurt-feta dressing on top.
Garnish with remaining lemon zest and chopped basil leaves.
