Chef’s Plate Review: Harissa Spiced Chickpeas

Chef’s Plate is a subscription service that delivers chef-designed recipes and fresh ingredients each week. There is no subscription or membership fee to join. Their recipes range from $8.99 per serving on the Family Plan up to $12.95 on the 15 Minute Meal Plan.

I was recently asked to recommend a subscription box that would make a good Christmas gift for new parents. I immediately thought of Chef’s Plate, or any other meal delivery subscription box. It has been my go-to subscription box since baby Steven arrived as it allows me to prepare our meals at home, even though we are very limited for time. Everything is delivered right to our door, and the recipes are quick and easy to make.

Subscription Details

Chef’s Plate has 3 subscription options to choose from:

Classic: The widest selection of recipes in one meal plan. Starting at $9.99 per serving. Choose 2-4 recipes per week. Each recipe is 2-4 servings.

Family: Exciting recipes the whole family will enjoy. Starting at $8.99 per serving. Choose 2-4 recipes per week. Each recipe is 2-4 servings.

Vegetarian: Delicious vegetarian recipes packed with fresh produce, whole grains and plant-based protein. Starting at $9.99 per serving. Choose 2-4 recipes per week. Each recipe is 2 servings.

We order 3 new Chef’s Plate recipes each week, and have been since August of 2016. Here’s a look at one of the recipes we received this past week….

Harissa Spiced Chickpeas with Tabbouleh Salad and Baked Feta

Tabbouleh salad gets a modern makeover, adorned with harissa spiced chickpeas and warm baked feta. Everything is drizzled in a tahini sauce, making this Middle Eastern number your new feel-good favourite.

Ingredients:

• 100g Feta Cheese
• 113g Cracked Wheat
• 113g Baby Tomatoes
• 1 Lemon
• 132g Mini Cucumber
• 90g Sour Cream
• 2 unit Green Onions
• 7g Cilantro
• 1 can Chickpeas
• 28g Tahini
• 1tbs Harissa Spice Blend

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450F. Start the recipe when the oven is ready. • Read the entire recipe card.• Prepare 2 parchment-lined baking sheets.• Strain chickpeas, then pat dry with paper towel.• In a large bowl, add Harissa Spice Blend and 1 tbsp oil (double for 4 portions). Stir together to make a paste. Add chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. • To one baking sheet, add harissa chickpeas.• Roast on the bottom rack of oven, for 8 min, until almost crispy.• Loosely cover baking sheet with foil, then return to the oven, for another 5-6 min, until crispy.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot, add 3/4 cup water (double for 4 portions). Season with salt, cover and bring to a boil over high heat.• Once boiling, add cracked wheat. Cover and set aside off heat, for 16 min.• Fluff cracked wheat with a fork.

While cracked wheat cooks, wash and dry all produce.• Cut cucumber into 1/4-inch pieces.• Thinly slice cilantro. • Thinly slice green onions.• Zest and juice half the lemon. Cut remaining lemon into wedges.• Halve grape tomatoes.

To the same bowl (used in Step 1), add feta. • Drizzle with 2 tsp oil (double for 4 portions) and toss to coat. (Use your hands to get excess Harissa Spice Blend from the bowl onto the feta.) • To the second baking sheet, add feta. Roast on the top rack of oven, for 8-10 min, until feta softens.

In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, tahini, lemon zest, half the green onions and 1/4 cup warm water (double for 4 portions). Season with salt.• In the same large bowl (used in step 4), whisk together 1 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp oil (double both for 4 portions). Season with salt and pepper.

In the bowl with lemon vinaigrette, add cracked wheat, cilantro, cucumber, tomatoes and remaining green onions. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.• Serve tabbouleh salad with roasted harissa chickpeas and feta over top. • Drizzle over tahini sauce. • Squeeze over a lemon wedge, to taste.• Enjoy!

Final Thoughts

I have to admit, I’ve made this recipe a few times before. It has been featured on the Chef’s Plate menu a handful of times, maybe more, and I order it every chance I get. This is my favorite kind of recipe to make because it is full of healthy ingredients, the dressing is simple, and it Is quick to prepare. The baked feta tops it off perfectly, as does the tahini dressing. The salad itself is mixed with a simple lemon vinaigrette and I’m tempted to say you could skip the tahini dressing altogether. Either way, it’s a wonderful recipe. I enjoy it every time I make it.

-AYOB Sarah