Mediterranean Salad- Meal Prep

Mediterranean Salad

Prep for about 4 servings
Ingredients:

• 1 Lemon
• 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes
• 1/4 Cup Chopped mixed Olives
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro
• 1 Cup Pearl Couscous
• 2 Cups Veg or Chicken Stock
• 2 Cups Shredded Lettuce or Spinach
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil, plus extra
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 can Chickpeas, drained
• 1 Tablespoon Paprika
• 4 Small Naan Breads
• 2 Zucchini
• 250g Halloumi Cheese

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl add the chopped olives, 1/4 cup of the chopped cilantro, 1/2 cup olive oil.
2. Zest and juice the lemon, and add both to the medium bowl.
3. Grate 1/2 of one of the zucchini, add the grated zucchini to the medium sized bowl.
4. Stir everything together, season with salt and pepper, stir again and set aside for now, this is our dressing for the salad.
5. Slice the remaining zucchini into thin rounds. Grill zucchini rounds on a grill pan or BBQ, about 3 minutes a side until lightly charred. Season with salt and pepper, and once done set aside.
6. On a baking sheet, toss the drained chickpeas with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and the paprika. Roast in an oven set to 450°F for about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. once cooked, set aside.
7. Toss cherry tomatoes on a pan with olive oil, salt and pepper. Broil for about 5 minutes in oven, until skins are just starting to pop. remove from oven and set aside.
8. Slice the halloumi into bite sized cubes, and grill in a nonstick frying pan, without any oil for about 2 minutes a side over medium heat, until all sides are golden brown on all sides. Set aside.
9. In a small sauce pan, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat, add the couscous and toast for about 2 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer covered for about 10 minutes. Set aside once cooked.
10. To prepare our to go lunches, get 4 covered togo containers ready.
11. Divide the dressing between the four togo dishes.
12. Divide the cherry tomatoes between the four togo containers.
13. Fluff the prepared couscous with a fork, and divide between the 4 togo containers.
14. Arrange the zucchini over the layer of couscous so it kind of acts like a ceiling, keeping our "wet" salad ingredients apart from our "dry" salad ingredients.
15. Divide the Halloumi between the 4 togo containers.
16. Divide the roasted chickpeas between the four togo containers.
17. Divide the remaining cilantro between the 4 togo containers.
18. Divide the shredded lettuce or spinach between the four togo containers.
19. To enjoy, take one of the togo containers we just prepped and layered, as well as one of the naan breads. Invert the salad onto a plate, if possible toast the naan in  a toaster, and either eat the naan along side the salad or tear it up and use it like croutons in the salad.

Enjoy!

Notes:

This is vegetarian but it is so loaded with protein and good fats that it will fill you up and keep you full through a long afternoon at work, without being too heavy. I truly love this meal and have it as a lunch at work often.