In an effort to be healthier, I decided that I need to start posting more salad recipes. Yes, I am a relatively healthy eater in general. But, I really like unhealthy foods. I dream about hamburgers on a regular basis. So, I decided to counteract my unhealthy thoughts with healthy actions, and this chickpea salad is a step in the right direction.
Armenians eat a fair amount of chickpeas. Growing up, we would use them in hummus (before hummus was cool, might I add), stew them with tomatoes and onions, eat them dried (called lebleblu), and use them in soups and salads. When I started cooking in college, they became a staple in my pantry. Since they’re high in fiber and protein, and low in fat, they can be used as a healthy filler or meat substitute. I actually made this salad as a filling side dish to a light meal of stuffed artichokes (recipe forthcoming), rather than making a heavier side dish.
I just want to use this opportunity to point out that this healthy salad is also very inexpensive to make. The whole thing cost probably about $2.00, and serves two as a side dish or one as a whole meal (lunch, perhaps?). A quarter pounder at McDonald’s costs more than that, and you probably won’t feel as good after you eat it (I should know).
The dressing is easy–just lemon juice and olive oil. Use salt and pepper to taste.
Chickpea Salad
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
Add the chickpeas, onion, parsley and tomato to a medium bowl and toss. Start by adding one teaspoon each of fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Stir, taste, and add more lemon juice or olive oil to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
I knew hummus was cool ages ago, thanks to you 🙂