Cooking Time: 50 mins

Guest post @eyediblefood

A deliciously healthy salad!

perfect for summer lunchtimes when you just want something light but still high in protein and nutrients.

Ingredients:

2 tins chickpeas

1 tbsp baking soda

Marinated artichoke hearts and / or marinated red bell peppers

Green and orange bell peppers

150g feta

2 carrots

200g spinach

1 tbsp garlic powder

3 tbsp olive oil

1 avocado

crunchy nuts of your choice for topping (pepitas are a good choice)

Ingredients for chickpea seasoning:

1 lemon

½ orange

½ tsp smoky paprika

½ tbsp turmeric

2 Tbsp chopped jalapenos

3 Tbsp finely chopped green olives

Method

1. Soak your chickpeas overnight for the best results, 12 hours is best. Add a Tbsp. of baking soda for best results, but it’s not essential
2. After soaking & draining the chickpeas, add them to large pot with a ratio of 1:2 chickpeas to water
3. Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to a simmer for approx. 45mins- 1 hour. Boil for 30-45 mins if you are wanting a crunchier texture. A good option is to taste test the chickpeas as you cook them so you can decide the texture you prefer
4. Once the chickpeas are cooled, dress them in the seasoning outlined above
5. Add marinated artichoke hearts and /or marinated red bell peppers
6. Add fresh chopped green and orange bell peppers.
7. Add 150g of cubed feta cheese
8. Use a potato peeler lengthways over a peeled carrot to shave off carrot ribbons
9. Wilt down 200g of spinach in a dry pan with a splash of lemon juice instead of oil. Add 1 Tbsp garlic powder to the spinach
10. Dress with 3 Tbsp olive oil to finish off the dish, and/or alternatively a soft avocado can be used to create a soft creamy seasoning
11. Toss in the juices and spices and leave for around 20 minutes to let the flavours marinate
12. Top with some crunchy nuts of your choosing. Pepitas are a perfect choice

Seasoning for chickpeas:

1. Squeeze lemon and orange juice into a cup before adding smoky paprika, turmeric, finely chopped olives and jalapenos.
2. Mix thoroughly before adding to the chickpeas for seasoning