Healthy Middle-Eastern Inspired Meal-Prep

This Middle-Eastern inspired meal-prep involves a glorious baked sweet potato, crispy chickpea crisps and an absolutely bangin’ couscous salad.

Ingredients

-1 lunches+

Metric

Method

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C fan / 400°F. Prick each sweet potato a few times with a fork, then place them on one half of a large baking tray and bake for 20 minutes.

   
2. 2

   Add the chickpeas to the other side of the baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with generous pinches of salt and pepper, then use a metal spoon to give them a stir. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the chickpeas are crispy and the potato is soft in the middle.

   
3. 3

   Put the couscous into a saucepan along with 350ml (12fl oz) of cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes or until the couscous is soft and fluffy. Set aside and leave to fully cool.

   
4. 4

   Put the frozen peas into a saucepan on a medium heat and cover them with hot water straight from the kettle. Bring to the boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, then drain and put them into a large mixing bowl along with the mint, parsley, olives and cannellini beans. 

   
5. 5

   Put the pine nuts into a pan over a medium heat and toast for 3–6 minutes or until golden brown, then add them to the mixing bowl along with the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and generous pinches of salt and pepper. As soon as the couscous has cooled, add it to the mixing bowl and give everything a stir until fully combined. Leave to one side.

   
6. 6

   Once the chickpeas are done, transfer each sweet potato to an airtight lunchbox and divide the salad between the boxes. Sprinkle the sumac, cumin and cinnamon over the chickpeas, and use a metal spoon to give them a good stir. Either add the chickpeas directly to the lunchbox or store them separately in a bowl in the fridge (uncovered) so they stay crispy, then add them to the lunchbox each morning. Add a handful of radishes to each lunchbox along with a few cherry tomatoes. Finish with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. Store the boxes with their lids on in the fridge for up to 4 days. We like to reheat the sweet potato in a microwave or oven before serving.

   
7. 7

   Finally, combine the tahini sauce ingredients together in a small bowl along with 3 tablespoons of water (add more tahini or water to get the desired consistency). Store the dressing in a separate airtight container and pour over the meal prep each morning. Done!