Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

• 30 ounces Canned Chickpeas (drained and rinsed; about two 15‑oz cans)
• 1 piece English Cucumber (thin‑skinned; if using regular cucumber, peel lightly to leave faint stripes)
• 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes (halved (or quartered if large))
• 1 piece Bell Pepper (green, diced small for crunch; any color works)
• 0.5 large onion Red Onion (small red onion or half a large one; thinly sliced or diced)
• 2 tbsp Fresh Mint Leaves (leaves only, minced finely)
• 2 tbsp Fresh Basil Leaves (leaves only, minced finely)
• 0.5 cup Kalamata Olives (sliced)
• 0.5 cup Feta Cheese (crumbled)
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed (about 1 small lemon))
• 1.5 tbsp Honey (microwave 10 seconds to thin before mixing)
• 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (good quality)
• 2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar (can substitute red wine vinegar)
• 0.25 tsp Salt (adjust to taste after dressing)
• 0.25 tsp Black Pepper (freshly ground; adjust to taste)

Instructions

1. Rinse Chickpeas

   Open the two 15‑oz cans of chickpeas, pour them into a colander, rinse under cold water, then drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

   Time: PT5M

2. Dice Cucumber

   Slice the English cucumber lengthwise, then slice each half again lengthwise, and finally chop into bite‑sized cubes. Add to the bowl.

   Time: PT5M

3. Halve Tomatoes

   Cut cherry or grape tomatoes in half (or quarter if large) and add to the bowl.

   Time: PT3M

4. Dice Bell Pepper

   Remove the stem and seeds from the bell pepper, then dice into small crunchy cubes and add to the bowl.

   Time: PT3M

5. Slice/Dice Red Onion

   Thinly slice or dice ½ a large red onion (or one small onion) and add to the bowl.

   Time: PT3M

6. Mince Fresh Herbs

   Remove stems from mint and basil leaves, then mince the leaves until you have about 2 tbsp of each. Add to the bowl.

   Time: PT4M

7. Add Olives and Feta

   Stir in ½ cup sliced Kalamata olives and ½ cup crumbled feta cheese.

   Time: PT2M

8. Prepare Dressing

   Squeeze a lemon to obtain 2 tbsp juice, microwave 1.5 tbsp honey for 10 seconds, then whisk together lemon juice, honey, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper in a small bowl.

   Time: PT5M

9. Combine and Toss

   Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss gently until everything is evenly coated, and transfer to a serving bowl if desired.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

8 g

Carbohydrates

20 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

5 g