Carbohydrates per serve: Aprrox 18.5g. When I came up with this Easy Vegetable and Chickpea Traybake I wanted an easy meal which uses minimal dishes, is vegan, low carb and still packs a huge amount of flavour. This recipe is just that. It’s also gluten-free and nut-free! I use a variety of vegetables in my traybake making it not only colourful but also really nutritious. This actually works really well as a main meal, or you can make it a side and spread it across more people.

What is in this Easy Vegetable and Chickpea Traybake?

As the name suggests, the main ingredients are vegetables and chickpeas. There are also some extra ingredients for flavour. 

I chose to add chickpeas because I wanted something high in protein and fibre that could help bulk up the dish and add a bit more substance. If you eat a lot of them, chickpeas are not low carb. However the other ingredients in this dish have almost no carbs, and split a can 4 ways and it’s not too bad. Tip: when you drain the chickpeas, hold on to the liquid. This is known as aquafaba and can be used in a number of different ways including my Vegan Mayonnaise or Chocolate Mousse. 

Now let’s move onto the vegetables in this meal…

First we have brussel sprouts. And before you start thinking “gross I hate brussel sprouts”, just hear me out. You are probably thinking back to the boiled, over-cooked brussel sprouts you ate as a kid. Get that out of your memory right because these are different. They’re slowly roasted with other vegetables and spices making them a lot more flavoursome and they also go nice and crispy and caramelised. Not to mention brussel sprouts are so good for you. Among other vitamins, they have lots of calcium, vitamin K, fibre and Vitamin C. 

Then it is the humble carrot. Carrots add a nice pop of colour and a bit of sweetness, and they are also super affordable. The most obvious health benefit, as I’m sure you were told so many times growing up, is that they help with eyesight. This is thanks to the high levels of beta-carotene which the body uses to create vitamin A. Vitamin A helps to improve vision and also lowers cholesterol! Like our brussel sprout friends, carrots are also high in Vitamin C and fibre.

Red Onion adds lots of flavour and also colour. I chose to use red onion instead of brown simply due to the colour. I love onion cooked any way, but roasted onions bring out so much more flavour. They are high in folate, calcium, magnesium and potassium to name a few. 

Garlic is an absolute must in this recipe. It’s just delicious and brings so much flavour to the meal. You really can’t go wrong with roasted garlic. The health benefits of garlic are also huge. It helps boost immunity, lower cholesterol and reduce blood pressure. It’s also high in antioxidants and helps to reduce inflammation. 

The last vegetable (or fruit?) in this meal is cherry tomatoes. I cannot stress enough how delicious and full of flavour roasted cherry tomatoes are. When roasted their sweetness is elevated and they caramelise and create a much different flavour than fresh tomatoes. Tomatoes are high in the antioxidant lycopene, as well Vitamin C, potassium and folate. You could also use regular, large tomatoes and chop them smaller, but a heads up they will produce more liquid when cooked. 

Then we have a bunch of things to really amp up the flavour and help with the caramelisation of the vegetables. Harissa spice adds a nice punch of spice and citrus. There is also thyme, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and sugar-free maple syrup. I used Queen Sugar-Free Maple Syrup. Of course if you aren’t too phased on sugar content, go ahead and use regular maple syrup. 

How do I make Vegetable and Chickpea Traybake?

As I mentioned earlier this recipe is super easy. You just need 10  minutes to prepare all the vegetables and the rest is cooking time.

Step One – Preheat the oven to 190℃ then prepare the first lot of vegetables. Rinse then halve the brussel sprouts, slice the carrots into 1cm rounds, peel and cut the onion into wedges. Spread the veggies out onto a baking tray.

Step Two – Add balsamic, olive oil, maple syrup, harissa, thyme, salt and pepper to the tray. Use either your hands or a spoon to mix through until the veggies are all evenly coated.

Step Three – Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. While the veggies are in the oven, peel and slice the garlic cloves.

Step Four – Remove veggies from the oven and add the sliced garlic, drained chickpeas and cherry tomatoes. Stir through so everything is evenly combined. Bake for a further 25 minutes.

Step Five – Remove from the oven and serve hot. 

What Kitchen Tools Do I Need?

I have created this recipe to use minimal dishes. You will need:

• Chopping Board
• Knife
• Measuring Spoons
• Baking Tray

What if I Have Leftovers?

You’re in luck because this is a great leftover dish. It’s super easy to reheat either in the oven or for a couple minutes in the microwave and is good in the fridge for 3-4 days. Hot tip: If you have an awkward amount of leftovers, include it in your cooked veggie breakfast. It goes well with some vegan sausages or bacon or even tofu scramble.