I love chick peas...garbanzos, if you will.
Maybe it's because I'm a hummus nut. But let's face it, sometimes you get good hummus and sometimes you don't. And chick pea salads are the same...sometimes they are crisp and the flavor of the marinade is just right, and other times, it's horrid and you don't think you'll ever eat a chick pea again to save your life.
Well, I have combined/adjusted a few recipes that I've tried and have come up with a tasty, crisp, chick pea salad recipe, that is healthy and will make you happy this summer - perfect for cookouts, as an appetizer with pita, or even for a light main course with salmon or chicken. It's a great alternative to potato salad or another mayonnaise based side salad.
Here is the basic recipe that has a Mediterranean flavor to it {see below for some other variations}.
Chick Pea Summer Salad
2 cans chickpeas/garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
1 cucumber, skin removed, diced or cut in chunks
2 cups grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup red onion, diced or cut into chunks
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar (or 1/2 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar)
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil/ or best quality Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Mix all vegetables together in large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk* the lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil together and pour over vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in the fridge for an hour. Best to eat within 24 hours or the cilantro, cucumbers and tomatoes wilt and get funky. (*note: if you don't own a small whisk, just use a beater from your electric handheld mixer).
* (You can adjust the lemon, vinegar, olive oil amounts depending on how acidic you like your marinade).
Above is the basic recipe.
For more a more Greek flavor you could add:
Feta
Mint
Kalamata Olives
Prosciutto
For a Mexican version:
Hot Sauce like Tabasco or other chili sauce
Avocado
Red, Yellow and Orange Peppers
XXXOOO.
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