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Week of 9/5/22

Za’atar Vegetable Skewers
with couscous / cucumber chickpea salad / lemon-tahini sauce

Active: 45 Total: 45
Original GF Paleo Vegetarian
Za’atar Vegetable Skewers

Both the Middle Eastern za'atar spice and cooking on the grill will give these vegetable skewers flavor, but they're great even if you want to skip the grill. We last featured this meal in 2020.
Smarts #1: As you’re chopping the onions and bell peppers, try to keep the pieces about the same size so they can be easily threaded onto skewers. Leave the button mushrooms whole.
Smarts #2: If you prefer to skip the skewers, you can saute the vegetables in a large skillet or wok.

Tags
Low Calorie, Grill Friendly
Proteins
Beans, garbanzo
Cuisines
Middle Eastern / North African
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67

Ingredients

Metric
Servings:
4
Za’atar Vegetable Skewers:
  • Onions, medium red - 1 , cubed
  • Bell peppers, green - 1 , cubed
  • Skewers, metal or bamboo - 8
  • Mushrooms, any button - 10 oz
  • Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
  • Za'atar - 1 Tbsp
Couscous:
  • Stock, any type - 1 cup (sub water)
  • Salt - 1/4 tsp
  • Butter - 1 Tbsp
  • Couscous, uncooked - 3/4 cup
Lemon-Tahini Sauce:
  • Garlic - 2 cloves , chopped
  • Parsley, fresh (opt) - 1 Tbsp , chopped
  • Yogurt, plain or Greek - 3/4 cup
  • Lemon juice - 1/4 cup
  • Tahini - 1 Tbsp
  • Oregano, dried - 1 tsp
  • Salt - 1/2 tsp
  • Cumin, ground - 1/2 tsp
  • Cinnamon - 1/8 tsp
Cucumber and Chickpea Salad:
  • Beans, garbanzo (14 oz / 397 g) - 1 can , drained and rinsed
  • Cucumbers - 12 oz , diced
  • Vinegar, red or white wine - 2 tsp
  • Oil, olive - 1 tsp

Choose Cooking Method

Prep

  1. Make couscous - Combine stock, salt (portion for couscous), and butter in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in couscous and cover with lid. Let stand for ~5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  2. Onions / Bell peppers / Garlic / Parsley - Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  3. Make lemon-tahini sauce - Combine garlic, parsley (if using), yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, oregano, salt (portion for sauce), cumin, and cinnamon. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  4. Skewers - If using wooden / bamboo skewers, soak in water for 10 minutes.

  5. Make cucumber chickpea salad - Drain and rinse beans. Dice cucumbers. Combine beans and cucumbers with vinegar and olive oil. (Can be done 1 day ahead)

  6. Season vegetables - Toss onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms with cooking oil, za’atar, and some salt and pepper. (Can be done 1 day ahead)

  7. Assemble skewers - Alternate threading onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms onto skewers. (Using two skewers together can make it easier to flip the skewers as they cook.) (Can be done 1 day ahead)

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Make

  1. Heat grill to 400F / 204C, keeping one part of the grill with direct heat and one part with indirect heat. Clean grates and brush with some cooking oil.

  2. Add vegetable skewers to heated grill and turn to sear on all sides until golden brown on the outside. Move skewers to indirect heat and close the lid. Continue cooking with the lid closed until vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

  3. If couscous was made ahead, reheat in the microwave.

  4. Give cucumber chickpea salad a stir and season with some salt and pepper.

  5. Serve vegetable skewers and cucumber chickpea salad over couscous. Top with sauce. Enjoy!

Prep

  1. Make couscous - Combine stock, salt (portion for couscous), and butter in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in couscous and cover with lid. Let stand for ~5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  2. Onions / Bell peppers / Garlic / Parsley - Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  3. Make lemon-tahini sauce - Combine garlic, parsley (if using), yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, oregano, salt (portion for sauce), cumin, and cinnamon. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)

  4. Skewers - If using wooden / bamboo skewers, soak in water for 10 minutes.

  5. Make cucumber chickpea salad - Drain and rinse beans. Dice cucumbers. Combine beans and cucumbers with vinegar and olive oil. (Can be done 1 day ahead)

  6. Season vegetables - Toss onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms with cooking oil, za’atar, and some salt and pepper. (Can be done 1 day ahead)

  7. Assemble skewers - Alternate threading onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms onto skewers. (Using two skewers together can make it easier to flip the skewers as they cook.) (Can be done 1 day ahead)

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Make

  1. Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Brush pan with some oil. Add vegetables skewers to heated grill pan and turn to sear on all sides. Reduce heat to low-medium and cover the skewers with a lid or foil. Continue cooking, covered, until vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

  2. If couscous was made ahead, reheat in the microwave.

  3. Give cucumber chickpea salad a stir and season with some salt and pepper.

  4. Serve vegetable skewers and cucumber chickpea salad over couscous. Top with sauce. Enjoy!

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