Looking for a healthy, low-fat meal that doesn’t leave you feeling hungry? Make this spinach and chickpea couscous – you can serve it on it’s own or with grilled fish or chicken if preferred. Any leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day, with some canned flaked tuna for protein. We’ve roasted the tomatoes for extra sweetness and flavour but you can use bought marinated sun-dried tomatoes from a jar instead to make this dish super speedy. If you have any veg in the fridge that needs using up such as courgettes, aubergine, squash and peppers you can roast them with the tomatoes until tender and add them to the couscous as well.
Ingredients
- 16 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 200g couscous
- 400ml hot vegetable stock
- 200g baby spinach
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Fan 170°C/Gas Mark 5. Place the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle over 1tbsp of the olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Spread the tomatoes out in a single layer and roast in the oven for 25 mins until softened.
While the tomatoes are roasting, place the couscous in a heatproof bowl and pour over enough hot vegetable stock to cover the couscous by about 1cm. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to stand for 10 mins until all the stock has been absorbed.
Place the spinach in a metal sieve or colander and stand it in the sink. Pour over a kettle full of boiling water until the spinach has wilted. Drain well and press out any excess liquid with the back of a spoon.
Fluff the couscous up with a fork. Add the paprika, cumin, coriander, lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and stir with a fork to mix. Stir in the chickpeas, tomatoes and spinach. Serve warm or cold.
Top tip for making Spinach and chickpea couscous
Any canned beans can be used instead of chickpeas such as cannellini beans, red kidney beans or haricot beans.
