Mediterranean Style Chickpea Tray Bake.
I promised a vegetarian option of my Mediterranean Style Chicken Tray Bake a few posts back and here it is! Check back a few posts for details on why the Mediterranean Diet is a great basis when it comes to eating for fertility health.
This version is my Mediterranean Chickpea Tray Bake, a one tray wonder for when you can’t be bothered to cook yet still want to pack in some good nutrients.
Chickpeas offer a great source of fibre, something which many of us are lacking in our diets. They’re also a good source of natural folate, most people on the TTC journey will have heard about the importance of this particular B vitamin (folate is also known as vitamin B9).
This dish also provides lycopene-rich tomatoes, vitamin C-loaded red peppers, antioxidant-rich kalamata olives, nutrient-packed herbs basil, rosemary and oregano; teamed with a protein punch of chickpeas, topped off with a sprinkle of vegan Greek white ‘cheese’ and some extra virgin olive oil.
If only I could eat it while sitting on a Greek beach veranda overlooking a crystal clear, turquoise blue sea…
Mediterranean Style Chickpea Tray Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tin chickpeas
- 120g small vine tomatoes, chopped in half
- 2x red peppers, chopped into bitesize pieces
- 65g kalamata olives, pitted and chopped in half
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1tsp oregano
- Few sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Garnish: fresh basil leaves, crumbled feta or vegan white 'cheese'
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220C and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Drain the chickpeas and rinse thoroughly under running water. Once rinsed place them onto some kitchen paper to remove excess moisture.
- Transfer the chickpeas to one of the baking trays, drizzle with half the olive oil, add the sea salt and toss to combine.
- Place the chickpeas into the oven and bake for 25-30mins until slightly crunchy, make sure to check on them to avoid burning.
- While the chickpeas are baking, add the tomatoes, peppers, olives, rosemary, oregano and the rest of the oil to the 2nd baking tray. Toss to combine. Bake for 20mins, toss the vegetables half way through and keep on eye on them so they don't burn.
- When both trays are ready, plate up your dish and garnish with some fresh basil and top with crumbled feta or vegan white 'cheese'.
Notes:
I am not affiliated with any brands but just thought you might like to know my favourites when it comes to some of the ingredients on my website. For the vegan 'cheese' in this recipe I like to use Violife Greek White Block.