Quinoa chickpea bowl, roasted lemon.
The Sunday-night bowl that lasts all week in a lunchbox. Protein-rich quinoa, chickpeas golden with cumin, roasted lemon that perfumes everything without masking the vegetables. Low GI, filling for hours.
Steps step-by-step
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Cook the quinoa
Rinse the quinoa under cold water until the water runs clear (this removes the bitter saponin). Pour into a saucepan with twice its volume of salted water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover and cook for 12 minutes. Let it steam off the heat for 5 minutes.
You can make it the day before; it keeps 3 days in the fridge. -
Prepare the chickpeas
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Pat dry in a clean tea towel: this step is what makes them crispy. Toss with 2 tbsp oil, the cumin and the paprika.
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Roast the chickpeas and lemon
Spread the chickpeas and lemon wedges on a baking sheet. Roast 15 min at 200 °C, tossing halfway through. The chickpeas turn golden, the lemon caramelizes lightly at the edges.
The roasted lemon is eaten whole, peel included: that's the key to the aroma. -
Prepare the fresh vegetables
Meanwhile, cut the cucumber into half-moons and halve the cherry tomatoes. Chop the parsley or cilantro.
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Assemble the bowls
Spread the quinoa in the bottom of 4 bowls. Arrange the golden chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes and roasted lemon in wedges. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, scatter herbs, season with salt and pepper.
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Serve warm or cold
Delicious warm out of the oven, or cold the next day as a bento. Squeeze the roasted lemon over it just before eating to release its fragrant juice.
Nutrition values
Per serving · 460 kcal · Low GICompatible with
- Type 2 diabetes · low GI thanks to the fiber in quinoa and chickpeas
- Gluten-free · quinoa naturally gluten-free
- Vegan · 100% plant-based
- Lactose-free · no dairy protein
- Pesco-vegan · OK, can be topped with feta if you're not vegan
- Halal · compliant ingredients
- Cholesterol / DASH · soluble fiber, controlled sodium
Substitutions possible
- No quinoa? Buckwheat or bulgur (watch the gluten with bulgur).
- No chickpeas? Cooked white beans or green lentils.
- No lemon? Cider vinegar + orange zest for a different note.
- More protein? Add 100 g of feta or a soft-boiled egg per portion.
- Allergic to herbs? Skip them, swap in toasted pumpkin seeds.
