Back to the recipes after a few weeks of holidays! For those Canadian readers out there, the title might throw you off – courgette is the same thing as zucchini. I’ve made this dish a few times before and it’s tasty! This time I made it with millet but I prefer the original quinoa version.
This dish has lots of nutritional benefits – healthy fats, proteins, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and it’s gluten/dairy free as well. It’s made in a few different stages. First, the chickpeas are marinated…
Next, the quinoa is cooked with the spices…
Then the vegetables are coated and grilled in the oven. If you have a BBQ, grilling them on this is even better.
Then the fresh herbs are mixed in… Stir everything together and your meal is ready!
Quinoa with Grilled Courgette and Chickpeas
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
5 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped small
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well and drained
1 tsp course sea salt
3 courgettes, quartered lengthwise
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
4 green onions (spring onions), thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
¼ cup fresh cilantro (coriander), chopped
Combine chickpeas, lemon juice, 3 tbsp of olive oil, garlic in a bowl. Let marinade at least 45 minutes. Heat 1 tbsp oil in sauce pan over medium high heat. Add cumin seeds, ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp paprika and stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups water, quinoa and coarse salt; bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer until all absorbed (about 15 min). Place the courgettes on grill or BBQ. Drizzle with 1 tbsp oil. Sprinkle ground cumin, ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp paprika, salt and pepper. Grill all sides (10 – 12 minutes). Cut crosswise in small pieces. Add remaining ingredients, courgettes, chickpea mixture to quinoa and toss.
