Chickpeas, Garbanzo Beans… dried or canned, which ever you call them and however you buy them, I really like them! They adapt so well to many types of cuisines, can be used hot or cold, are inexpensive, healthy, and if I prepare them “properly” I can get my kids to eat them too… that’s a win for sure. We actually have a family joke that goes waaay back to when I was a teenager looking for something quick and tasty to eat. My mom would list of all the options in the fridge, and I would of course turn them all down…. we have cheese, I can make you a sandwich, there’s fruit…. you get the picture. After listing off all the choices, she would finally say, WELL, you could always eat Chickpeas! I don’t know how it started, but it stuck, and now when my kids are hungry, searching through the fridge and snack cupboard (which are crammed full of food choices), I too now say…. WELL, would you like some Chickpeas? I dunno, I guess you had to be there.
Anyhow, these past few weeks have been super hot, and we’ve been doing a lot of marinated and grilled meats for our mains. I love these kinds of meals as they are so quick and easy. This weekend, I wanted to get ahead of the dinner time crunch as it’s going to be a crazy busy week, so I prepped three sides that I knew would hold well for a few days and pair nicely with our BBQ. Hope you enjoy this little bit of Love on a Plate!
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chick peas rinsed and well drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 whole red pepper diced
- 1/2 large red onion diced
- 1 large english cucumber cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley chopped
- *** Greek Vinaigrette***
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 2 tsp fresh if you have it
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine chickpeas, tomatoes, red pepper, red onion, cucumber, parsley and Feta Cheese. Toss well.
- In a small bowl combine all dressing ingredients, whisk to combine.
- Pour dressing over chickpea mixture, taste for seasoning, adjust as needed.