Chickpea, courgette, fine bean and feta salad

This is a great vegetarian dish for two when you have a little extra time in the evening for roasting vegetables.

I love the combination of the caramelised edges on the balsamic veggies with the creamy feta.

I prepare it using only a roasting tray, one medium sized pan and a colander. So it’s light on washing up as well as being reasonably healthy!

Ingredients

1 Can of Chickpeas in Water (400g) £0.55
1/2 Pack of Fine Beans (100g) £0.50
3 Salad Tomatoes £0.38
1 Medium Courgette £0.30
1 Red Onion £0.21
1/2 Pack of Greek Feta Cheese (100g) £0.60
1/2 Teaspoon of Mixed Herbs
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Fresh Basil to garnish (Optional)

Serves 2

Total Cost – £2.54
Cost per portion – £1.27
Total Cooking Time – Less than 50 minutes

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to about 200 degrees c.

Slice the courgette into half centimetre thick rounds, quarter the salad tomatoes and slice the red onion into about 8 wedges. Chuck these veggies into a roasting dish and splosh some olive oil and balsamic vinegar over them. Add the mixed dried herbs and season with salt and pepper to your taste. Toss or mix the vegetables in the oil and seasoning. Pop the tray in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes.

I turn my veggies about every ten minutes, this will stop them over browning on one side and allows you to check how far the are through the cooking process.

Bring a medium pan of well salted water to the boil whilst you trim the fine beans at the stalk end. Once the water is boiling pop the fine beans into the pan, wait for the water to start boiling again and then cook the beans for three minutes.

Remove the beans from the pan using a slotted spoon and put them in a colander. Run the beans under cold water to stop the cooking process, you don’t want soggy, flaccid beans! Pop them on one of your serving plates ready for later.

Keep the pan of water. Strain the liquid from the chickpeas and give them a rinse in the colander. Add them to the boiling water for approximately five minutes.

Whilst the chickpeas are cooking chop the feta cheese into small cubes and tear some basil leaves for the garnish.

Remove the roasting veggies from the oven and add the fine beans. Strain the cooked chickpeas and add them to the pan as well. Give everything a good shake so the roasted juices coat all of the ingredients. Divide the contents of the roasting tray onto two serving plates.

Sprinkle over the feta and basil leaves and enjoy!