One of my go-to meals is a hearty power bowl, and these Crispy Harissa Chickpea Power Bowls are a perfect example. Harissa is a North African version of hot sauce. It is generally made of paprika, cayenne, sea salt, olive oil, acerola berry, cumin, sumac, garlic, coriander and other spices.
The chickpeas are tossed in a saucy mix of olive oil and harissa, then roasted in the oven until golden-crisp. They’re the crunch nestled among warm spiced sweet potatoes, citrusy rice, veggies, pistachios, pepitas, fresh herbs and (for an unexpected sweet twist) finely chopped dates.
Don’t be put off by the longish ingredients list – the moment you taste your first bite, I know you’ll agree it was worth the wait!
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the Chickpeas
- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. harissa paste
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 3 cups peeled, diced sweet potatoes
- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground cumin
For the rest
- ¾ cup uncooked rice
- 1 ½ cups water or low sodium vegetable stock
- 1 medium carrot, shredded or julienne cut
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- ¼ cup finely chopped pitted dates
- 2 Tbsp. shelled pistachios
- 2 Tbsp. pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley and mint
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped mint
- 2 cups shredded baby spinach
For the citrus vinaigrette (you may have leftovers)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
- ½ tsp. cumin
- a few generous pinches of sea salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, coat the chickpeas in olive oil and harissa. Scatter them on the baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes, shaking occasionally, or until crispy.
Toss the sweet potato in olive oil and spices. Scatter them on a second lined baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes, shaking occasionally, until lightly crisped on the edges.
Boil the rice in water/vegetable stock according to package directions. While the rice cooks, toss everything, except the spinach, together in a large bowl.
Whisk together the dressing and use 1-2 Tbsp. to dress the shredded spinach. Divide it among 3-4 bowls.
Once the rice is cooked, drain excess liquid off and stir it into the veggies along with 3 Tbsp. dressing. Divide this between the bowls.
Finally, arrange the roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas on top of the rice and spinach. Serve with extra dressing on the side to use as needed.
Nutrition facts per serving: Calories 947; protein 26g; fat 36g; carbs 143g; fibre 26g.
