We love chickpeas, and I mean LOVE chickpeas. They are the perfect little bean for my toddler’s tiny hands and the fact he loves them is a bonus. I have always loved them; my favourite way to eat them is, of course, hummus, but I also love them in a salad. They are a great addition to a green salad, have a place in every bean salad I make and can hold their own in a salad all by themselves.

According to The World’s Healthiest Foods chickpeas are awesome! “Both the seed coat (outer layer) and cotyledon (large main inner portion) of garbanzo beans contain a wealth of phytonutrients. The outer seed coat can be concentrated in flavonoids, including quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin. The interior of the beans is typically rich in ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and vanillic acid. All of these phytonutrients function as antioxidants, and many also function as anti-inflammatory nutrients. Garbanzo beans are an excellent source of sulfite-detoxifying molybdenum and energy-producing manganese. They are also a very good source of heart-healthy folate and a good source of muscle-building protein, digestive-supportive dietary fiber, antioxidant-promoting copper, and energy-producing phosphorus and iron. The fiber in garbanzo beanss is mostly insoluble, and it has been shown to undergo conversion into short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the large intestine and provide support for our digestive tract.”

Certainly makes me want to keep this wonderful little bean in my family’s meal plan.

With that in mind, here’s a quick and easy chickpea salad we recently threw together for dinner. We served it warm with a green salad, but the best part, I ate the leftovers for lunch the next day as a chilled salad, and all I can say is “YUM!”

Chickpea Salad
Salad
1tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups chickpeas, cooked or 1 can, drained and rinsed
½ cup grape tomatoes, halved
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Dressing
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1tsp mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat coconut oil in pan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until tender. Add garlic, sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add chickpeas and tomatoes and mix well.

Stir salad often, until tomatoes begin to break down slightly, 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.

Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Drizzle with dressing and mix well.

Serve with a large, fresh, locally grown green salad.

NOTE: Leftovers are awesome the next day as a chilled salad.

How are you using chickpeas in your family these days?