Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Chickpeas, garbanzo beans - call them what you want, just don't forget to try this recipe or you will be missing out on something GREAT!  You can also use any of our seasoning blends you have have for this recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/2 tsp + a pinch or two of Mediterranean Magic* (if using dried peas, you'll need 5 tsp)
2, 15 oz. cans chickpeas/garbanzo beans (if you use dried peas, use 1/2 pound)
1 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1 cup yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
1/3 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced into 1/4" dice
1 cup tomato, diced 1/4" dice (any good, firm tomato - red, green or yellow)
2 green onions, diced (use green tops too)
1/4 cup olive oil + a couple Tbsp if necessary
2 1/2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

If you are using dried chickpeas, the first thing you need to do is wash and inspect your peas. Place 1/2 pound in bowl large enough to hold 4 cups of water plus peas. Let soak overnight. Drain, rinse and place in pot with 5 cups of water. Add 2 tsp. of Mediterranean Magic to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer over medium heat for about 45-50 minutes or until tender. Strain chickpeas and discard liquid. If you are using canned chickpeas, open the cans, discard the liquid and give them a rinse.

Next you need to prep all your veggies. It's truly up to your preference how you want to dice or chop things, but I try to make everything uniform in size. Chickpeas are not that big so keep all of your other ingredients about the same size - it makes each bite more balanced and doesn't allow for any one ingredient to stand out more than any other. Finely diced is usually about 1/8" in my book! So make sure to dice your bell peppers accordingly. However, if you're short on time, chop away and just make it happen.

Make sure to remove the seeds from you cucumber. Peel it first, then cut it in half lengthwise. Take a small spoon and scrape out the seeds.

If you use dried chickpeas, make sure to let them cool enough so they don't "cook" the rest of the veggies. Grab a large bowl and combine all the ingredients. Add 2.5 teaspoons of Mediterranean Magic, the vinegar, oil and juice from 1/2 lemon. Mix well and taste. If you feel it needs a bit more seasoning, now is when you can add a pinch or two more of it.

Serve immediately or cover and chill over night to allow the flavors to develop.

*Try this recipe with any of our seasoning blends. Change the vegetables too! Use whatever is in your fridge! That is part of the beauty of our blends - you can mix and match to create your own recipes in no time at all!