Middle Eastern Veggie-Lentil Bowls

Ingredients

falafel-spiced roasted chickpeas:

2 (15 oz.) cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

3/4 t. ground cumin

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. onion powder

1/8 t. ground coriander

1/8 t. cayenne pepper

1/4 t. salt

pinch of ground allspice

2 T. olive oil

tahini-yogurt sauce:

1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt

1/4 c. tahini, store-bought or homemade

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 T. lemon juice

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

1 small clove of garlic, minced

pinch of salt

water, if needed to thin out to desired consistency, I used 1 T. water, but the thickness of tahini varies, so use your own judgement

cooked lentils:

1 c. green lentils, rinsed and picked over to remove any debris

4 c. water

1/2 t. salt

grilled vegetables:

4 small zucchini, halved lengthwise

2 bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into large pieces

1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices

olive oil

salt

dressing and remaining ingredients:

6 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 c. fresh lemon juice

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. salt

1/8 t. cayenne pepper

1/4 c. minced fresh mint

1/2 c. minced fresh parsley, divided

10.5 oz. pkg. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Preparation

make the roasted chickpeas: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees f. Spread the chickpeas out on a clean kitchen towel, using paper towels, blot the chick peas dry, quickly removing any skins that separate from the beans. Add the chickpeas to a large baking sheet sprinkle with the spices and salt and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast the chickpeas for 45 minutes to an hour, shaking the pan every 15 minutes. Let cool.

Combine all the components of the tahini-yogurt sauce, mix well and refrigerate while finishing the rest of the dish.

In a medium saucepan combine the lentils, 4 c. water and 1/2 t. salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, about 25-30 minutes. Drain the lentils in a fine-mesh strainer, transfer to a large bowl.

while the lentils simmer, prepare the dressing: Whisk together the 6 T. extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 c. lemon juice, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 t. ground cumin, 1/2 t. salt, 1/8 t. cayenne, mint and half of the parsley. Reserve 3 T. of the dressing for the grilled vegetables. Add the remaining dressing to the still-hot, cooked lentils. Toss to coat. Set the lentil salad aside at room temperature until serving time.

grill the vegetables and finish the dish: Coat the veggies with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill until tender and slightly charred. Chop the veggies into bite-sized pieces and toss with the 3 T. reserved dressing. Just before serving, add the remaining 1/4 c. parsley to the lentil salad. Serve the grilled veggies with the lentil salad, top each with some of the tahini-yogurt sauce and garnish with the grape tomatoes and roasted chickpeas.