Apricot & Veggie Tagine

Essential ingredients

Olive oil

1 aubergine, sliced into cubes

1 courgette, sliced into chunks

1 carrot, sliced into chunks

1 red pepper, diced

1 400g tin chickpeas, drained

1 red onion, diced

1 tbsp garlic paste

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp ras el hanout

2 tbsp tomato puree

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

120g dried apricots, chopped

1 tbsp honey (optional)

Juice from 1/2 lemon

350ml water

Salt & Pepper

360g quinoa

Juice ½ lime

Handful coriander, chopped

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Add the aubergine, courgette, carrot and red pepper to a roasting tray, sprinkle with a teaspoon smoked paprika and drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes to roast, shaking the tray half way through.
In another lined tray, spread out the drained chickpeas, sprinkled with one teaspoon of cayenne pepper and a small drizzle of oil. Pop in the oven for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and lightly toasted.
Meanwhile, fry the red onion in a drizzle of oil, stirring for 3 minutes until it starts to soften. Add the garlic paste and stir, then add a teaspoon of each of the spices.
Turn the heat down to low, squeeze in the tomato puree, and add the cherry tomatoes and half of the dried apricots. If using, add in the honey and stir, ensuring it doesn’t stick to the pan. Add the lemon juice and gradually add the water bit by bit, allowing it to come to a gentle simmer. Add a pinch of salt and some cracked pepper, and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until it forms a thick sauce. Add a little more water if It starts to become too sticky.
Cook the quinoa according to pack instructions – boiling for approximately 12-15 minutes. Once cooked, squeeze in the lime juice, the other half of the chopped dried apricots, and the coriander.
Once roasted, combine the chickpeas with the veg, and pour over the tomato sauce, mixing well to coat.
Serve the veg and quinoa garnished with some coriander, flaked almonds, and yoghurt, and enjoy!