With the new year here, I know a lot of you are trying to incorporate some more veggies and better eating habits into your life. I’m convinced that the best way to stick with it is to plan and prep and plan and prep!
I got a set of these Ello 10 piece meal prep containers. I love these containers for a few reasons. First, they come with really cute colorful silicone sleeves which not only helps prevent the glass from chips and scratches, but it also makes sure you always have a lid to match your container. Ain’t nobody got time for searching through lids, am I right?!
The Ello containers are also microwave, dishwasher, oven, freezer safe, and BPA free! I love glass containers so much more than plastic containers because they don’t stain or smell. A few years ago I had a plastic container turned an orange-reddish tint that I could not scrub away. From that point on I knew it was glass containers or bust.
You’re going to LOVE this Mediterranean Cauliflower Chickpea Salad! It’s loaded with flavors and so many amazing textures. The sweet and tangy dressing is the perfect counterpoint to those roasted spicy chickpeas. Plus it’s loaded up with some juicy tomatoes, refreshing cucumbers, roasted peppers. Literally, you can’t go wrong!
This recipe makes for three big lunch salads, but if you want to have five or six for the whole work week, I suggest doubling the recipe and dividing it among the containers. I can’t wait to hear what you think, I was basking in the glory of all the yummy noises when my husband and I ate them for dinner last night.
So, let’s jump into the recipe and make this Mediterranean Cauliflower Chickpea Salad!
Place the drained and rinsed chickpeas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Use a spatula to toss and coat the chickpeas with the spices. Spread them out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes.
While the chickpeas are roasting, place the frozen cauliflower rice in a medium pan over medium-high heat. If you don’t have frozen cauli rice, feel free to make your own cauliflower rice! Place florets through the shredding attachment of your food processor to make cauliflower rice!
Stir it the rice frequently for about 10 minutes until it’s warmed through and no longer frozen. Transfer the cauli rice to large bowl and add in the chopped onion, cucumber, tomatoes, roasted pepper, parsley, and toasted pine nuts. Mix and divide into three separate Ello meal prep containers.
In a dressing bottle or medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, agave, vinegar, and mustard. Whisk or shake until combined. Divide the dressing into little dressing containers with lids and nuzzle them into Ello meal prep containers.
Once the chickpeas are done roasting, divide them among the meal prep containers. Garnish with parsley. Store in the fridge.
When you’re ready to eat, pour the dressing on the salad, put the lid back on the container and shake until coated.
Recipe
Mediterranean Cauliflower Chickpea Salad
Prep this Mediterranean Cauliflower Chickpea Salad for an easy, flavor packed vegetarian lunch! Loaded with plant based protein and veggies!!
Ingredients
Spicy Chickpeas:
- 15 oz. chickpeas, drained and washed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
Salad:
- 12 oz. frozen cauliflower rice
- 1 cup chopped red onion (about ½ red onion)
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- ½ cup grape tomatoes, sliced in fourths
- ½ cup jarred roasted bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup parsley, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Dressing:
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar (honey or maple syrup works too)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Place the drained and rinsed chickpeas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Use a spatula to toss and coat the chickpeas with the spices.
- Spread them out in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Roast for 25 minutes.
- While the chickpeas are roasting, place the frozen cauliflower rice in a medium pan over medium-high heat.
- Stir it frequently for about 10 minutes until it’s warmed through and no longer frozen.
- Transfer the cauli rice to large bowl and add in the chopped onion, cucumber, tomatoes, roasted pepper, parsley, and toasted pine nuts.
- Mix and divide into three separate Ello meal prep containers.
- In a dressing bottle or medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, agave, vinegar, and mustard. Whisk or shake until combined.
- Divide the dressing into little dressing containers with lids and nuzzle them into Ello meal prep containers.
- Once the chickpeas are done roasting, divide them among the meal prep containers.
- Garnish with parsley.
- Store in the fridge.
- When you’re ready to eat, pour the dressing on the salad, put the lid back on the container and shake until coated.
Enjoy!! xo
Thank you so much to Ello Products for sponsoring this post! I love working with brands I use and love and couldn’t be more thrilled they support The Toasted Pine Nut!! xo
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