best summer salad

Salads get such a bad rap for being boring but THIS chickpea salad is anything but! With the best of summer’s veggies like tomato, spinach and cucumber highlighted by a fresh lemon vinaigrette, this had become a staple in our house.

If you don’t like spinach (what are you, crazy?) you can sub romaine lettuce or your fave leafy green instead. I tend to throw chia seeds onto everything for a nutritional nutty crunch, but they are not necessary.

What is your favorite summer salad?

Ingredients: 4-6 servings

1 1/2 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained or prepared if using dried beans

1/2 cup red onion- thinly sliced

1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

1/2 cup cucumber- cut into bite sized pieces

2 cups baby spinach

2 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 Tablespoons chia seeds *optional

dressing:

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1/3 cup veg or olive oil

1-1 1/2 teaspoon agave or turbinado sugar

salt

pepper

Method:

combine first 4 salad ingredients in a large bowl. in a small bowl or jar, combine all dressing ingredients and mix well. pour dressing over salad mixture and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. add parsley, spinach and chia seeds just before serving, mix well and serve immediately.

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healthy chickpea salad