Roasted Vegetable Couscous Meal Prep

• servings: 4 servings
• total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 Roma tomatoes ($1.35)

2 zucchini (about 20 oz.) ($1.69)

1 bell pepper ($1.00)

1 red onion ($0.42)

4 cloves garlic, peeled ($0.32)

2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)

2 pinches salt and pepper ($0.05)

1 cup couscous ($0.79)

1 ½ cups vegetable broth ($0.20)

1/2 bunch parsley (about 1 cup chopped) ($0.40)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1/2 lb. each) OR two 15 oz. cans chickpeas ($4.23)

2 Tbsp butter, room temperature ($0.36)

1 tsp dried parsley ($0.10)

1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)

1/2 tsp dried basil ($0.05)

1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.03)

1/4 tsp onion powder ($0.03)

1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)

pepper ($0.02)

1/2 cup ranch dressing ($0.70)

Directions

Roasted Vegetable Couscous

Prepare the Roasted Vegetable Couscous first. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Chop the Roma tomatoes, zucchini, and bell pepper into 1-inch pieces. Slice the red onion into 1/2-inch thick strips. Place the tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, and peeled garlic on a large baking sheet.

Drizzle the olive oil over the chopped vegetables, toss to coat, then season with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

While the vegetables are roasting, begin the couscous. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a small sauce pot. Once boiling, stir in the couscous. Place a lid on top, remove the pot from the heat, and let the couscous sit for five minutes, or until all of the broth is absorbed. Fluff the couscous with a fork, then place in the refrigerator to begin cooling as you prepare the rest of the meal.

For Garlic Herb Baked Chicken

While the couscous is chilling, begin the garlic herb baked chicken. Combine the room temperature butter with the parsley, oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir until it forms a paste.

If the chicken breasts are thick, gently pound them with a mallet or rolling pin until they are an even thickness, no more than 3/4-inch thick (I cover the chicken with plastic to prevent splatter when pounding). Pat the chicken dry, then smear the butter herb mixture over the entire surface.

Place the seasoned chicken in a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes at 400ºF, or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then slice into strips.

For Garlic Herb Chickpeas

To make Garlic Herb Chickpeas instead, rinse and drain 2 15oz. cans of chickpeas. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium. Once hot, add the chickpeas, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the chickpeas are golden and the skins are blistered. Remove them from heat and then season with the same garlic herb spices used for the chicken (no butter). Stir until the chickpeas are coated in the herbs and spices.

Assemble the Meal Prep

When the vegetables are finally finished roasting, pull out the whole garlic cloves from the baking sheet and mince them. Combine the partially cooled couscous, the roasted vegetables, garlic, and chopped parsley in a large bowl. Stir to combine.

Divide the Roasted Vegetable Couscous between four containers and top with sliced chicken or 1/4 of the Garlic Herb Chickpeas. Serve each portion with 2 Tbsp ranch dressing.

Nutrition

• Calories: 495.15 kcal
• Total Fat: 16.48 g
• Sodium: 934.88 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 51.73 g
• Dietary Fiber: 7.08 g
• Protein: 35.23 g