Roasted Chickpeas, Lemon Zucchini, and rice with a Cucumber Salad
In the summer heat, I always require meals packed with veggies, preferably partially in a cold salad form, and this meal does that. With a healthy dose of protein and fiber from the slightly crunchy roasted chickpeas, and additional flavor and texture from the crispy-edged, tender-centered zucchini, this grain bowl is off to an excellent start. Still, for additional veggies, I paired it with a robust cucumber salad and an umami-packed, creamy, yogurt-based sundried tomato sauce.
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
Roasted Chickpeas
1 can of chickpeas
Salt
Black Pepper
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Nutritional Yeast
Olive Oil
Lemon Zucchini
1.5-2 Zucchinis
Juice of a quarter of a large lemon
Salt
Nutritional yeast
Cucumber Salad
Shallot
1 medium/large cucumber
¼ block tofu
10-11 Kalamata Olives
Garlic to taste (I used about a tablespoon minced)
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
White wine Vinegar
Vegan yogurt-based sauce
⅓ cup yogurt ( I used a cashew coconut blend)
2-3 Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Salt
White wine vinegar
Chili Powder
Olive oil
Instructions
Start your grain of choice. We ate this with white rice.
Start with cooked or canned chickpeas. Drain and rinse, and add to your oven-safe platter. Season with all your seasonings, and add in 1 tbsp of avocado or olive oil. Mix so that all chickpeas are coated in seasonings.
Next, slice your zucchini in half, then cut into half-moons. Add to your oven-safe dish and season.
Add to an oven heated to 350, and let roast for at least 30 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the cucumber salad.
Dice the shallot, and add to a mixing bowl.
Next, deseed and dice the cucumber, and add to the bowl.
Slice the Kalamata olives, and add with minced garlic (optional). Salt and Pepper to taste. Add a splash of white wine vinegar (about 1 tbsp).
Finally, to prep your yogurt-based dressing, add unsweetened vegan yogurt to a small bowl, with sundried tomatoes, and all the other listed seasonings. Mix well, and it’s ready to add.
Plate up everything with your grain of choice and enjoy.