Recipe: Rainbow Roast Vegetable & Chickpea Couscous {Vegan, Delicious & Easy}

Summary:  Some meals are just so pretty! I love that you can enjoy your rainbow and eat it it too. All those veggies make for a flavourful and colourful meal. The spice rich dressing adds an earthy, grounding base that rounds out the bright citrus notes. I love the slight crunch and protein hit of chickpeas in this but you could swap it out for tofu, seitan or any other bean.  Like most couscous dishes, this is pretty quick to prepare and cook. Even though the roasting does take 30 mins, the whole meal only take 45mins, start to finish. This makes a meal for two or a side dish for four and it can be eaten cold as a salad too. 

Ingredients

• 4 tblsp garlic olive oil
• 2 small carrots, cut into small cubes
• 1 capsicum, cut into small pieces
• 2 small red onion, cut into small wedges & layers separated
• 1 bunch asparagus, chopped into chunks
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1 cup quick-cooking couscous
• 1/2cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1¼ cups boiling vegan chicken style stock or vegetable stock
• 1 (400g) tin chickpeas, rinsed & drained
• 1 tblsp finely chopped spring onions

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 230C. Toss the carrot, red capsicum, red onion and asparagus on a baking tray with 1 tblsp of the olive oil and bake for 30 minutes.
2. Place the remaining 3 tblsp of garlic olive oil, lemon juice,  cumin, coriander, onion powder, salt and pepper in a jar with a screw-top lid and shake to mix.
3. Five minutes before the vegetables are finished roasting, mix the couscous with the peas and corn in a microwave safe bowl and pour over the boiling stock. Cover with a lid, plate or plastic wrap to seal in the steam and microwave for 3 minutes.
4. Fluff the couscous with a fork to separate the grains and stir through the roast vegetables, chickpeas and spring onion. Pour over the dressing and toss together until well combined.