Chickpea Salad

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place chickpeas in a bowl, add olive oil, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Toss well and make sure chickpeas are evenly covered with spices. Spread chickpeas in an even layer on the lined sheet pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing about halfway in the cooking time, until they are crisp. Let them cool completely.

Step 2

Prepare the couscous mix according to package instructions (see note 1). If you don't use couscous from a package, you'll want to add some of your favorite seasonings because a lot of the flavor in this salad comes from that seasoning.

Step 3

Chop cucumber, halve cherry tomatoes, chop olives, chop parsley, and chop roasted red pepper. Toss the vegetables together. If you are going to meal prep; leave out the olives and add separately or they tend to make everything taste like olive!

Step 4

Zest lemons with a zester to get 1/2 teaspoon zest. Juice the lemons using a citrus juicer to get 4 tablespoons lemon juice. Prepare the dressing by adding 4 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice and zest, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to a jar. Seal the jar and shake until combined.

Step 5

Add the prepared couscous to a large bowl and allow to cool. Add in all of the vegetables and cooled chickpeas. Add in some feta cheese, freshly squeezed lemon, salt and pepper to taste, and the dressing. Only dress what you will enjoy as this salad doesn't sit well for a long time with the dressing on it.

Step 6

To meal prep, divide the dressing evenly into 3-4 small containers. Divide the couscous evenly among the meal prep containers. Add in equal parts of all of the chopped veggies and chickpeas, but keep olives separate. Add a lemon wedge, some feta cheese, and cover everything with a pinch of salt and pepper. To enjoy, add the dressing, squeeze the lemon over everything, stir together, and eat!