Spiced-up chickpea and couscous salad

February 2016

By Jess Ferguson

Chickpeas, couscous, and tomatoes - 3 of my favorite foods. Add a few other ingredients and you have a delicious salad that is perfect for work lunches!

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 180ml raw couscous
• 5ml vegetable stock powder
• 180ml boiling water
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon tumeric powder
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small red onion, thinnly sliced 
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 45 ml chopped fresh basil and mint
• 60g reduced fat feta cheese, crumbled

Method

1. Put couscous and stock powder in a large bowl, and pour over boiling water. Let it stand for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.  Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the garlic with the spices (cumin through to cayenne pepper).  Add the olive oil and combine to form a paste.  Stir in the chickpeas, onion, red pepper, and tomatoes.
3. Transfer the chickpeas mixture into a roasting pan, cover with foil, and roast in oven for 30 minutes at 180C, until onions are tender.
4. Add the chickpea mixture to the couscous, and combine well
5. Sprinkle over feta and fresh herbs

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