A few days ago, I saw a card with the recipe for couscous with chickpeas at one of the supermarkets here in the Netherlands where I shop, garnished with slices of lemon… How could I not take immediate inspiration? Honestly, I didn’t even read the recipe, I just thought about how best to season this dish and incorporate some vegetables, and I decided to use snow peas, now in season, and ginger to add much more flavor.
Yes, the result was really excellent: a dish to be served hot or at room temperature, making it also ideal for takeaway lunch. Furthermore, it is also a vegan dish, so it suits many needs. If you are gluten intolerant, I recommend using millet, which I think is a good substitute for couscous, or even quinoa to increase the protein content.
Make sure to barely cook the snow peas, they should be quickly blanched or steamed for just a few minutes to preserve their properties: they should remain green! The result is a truly exquisite, fresh, and colorful dish, bringing cheer to the table! And if you love lemon, then go ahead and be generous…
A few similar vegan one-pot meals:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 3
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
For the couscous, I use whole-wheat couscous that is ready in 10 minutes by rehydrating it in boiling water. If you use another type of couscous, follow the cooking instructions on the package.
- 7.4 oz couscous
- 12 oz cooked chickpeas, boiled (about 3.5 oz dried)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (3 teaspoons)
- 10.6 oz snow peas
- 1 slice fresh ginger (about 1 inch)
- 1 lemon (untreated surface)
- to taste parsley
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- Total points = 33 WW points
- Points per serving = 11 WW points
Steps
First, weigh the couscous in a large deep plate and pour enough boiling water to cover it completely. Cover with a lid or another plate and let it rest while you prepare the other ingredients. This way, the couscous will absorb the water, becoming soft and fluffy.
Wash the snow peas well and blanch them in salted boiling water for a few minutes or steam them for a few minutes. Drain and set aside.
For the dressing, grate the lemon peel and ginger. In a glass, put the juice of half a lemon, the oil, and the grated lemon peel and ginger. Add some salt and pepper to taste and emulsify well. Slice the remaining half lemon and set aside.
At this point, fluff the couscous well with a fork and place it in a large serving dish. Add the well-drained snow peas and chickpeas. Add the olive oil, lemon, and ginger dressing, and mix well.
Garnish with lemon slices and freshly chopped parsley, and the couscous with chickpeas and snow peas with lemon and ginger is ready to be served at the table!
It’s a truly exquisite vegan spring dish, complete with carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, and the right amount of fats. Moreover, it remains really light, making it ideal for continuing a diet without sacrificing taste.
Furthermore, this is an ideal meal to take to work or for a picnic. Try making it and let me know if you enjoyed it!
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
FAQ
I can’t find snow peas…
If you can’t find snow peas, you can use another type of vegetable. I often use green beans or asparagus, but also broccoli since here in the Netherlands they are available all year round! I think it would also be excellent with agretto…
How do I store it?
If I prepare this dish in advance or if there is a little left over, I put it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It lasts up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing it.
I’m gluten intolerant…
In that case, use the same weight of millet or quinoa. It will be equally delicious!
