CHICKPEA SALAD

Thìs Medìterranean ìnspìred chìckpea salad ìs one of my favorìtes! If you love thìs one, be sure to try thìs couscous salad (great meal prep recìpe!), quìnoa salad, or cucumber salad (reader favorìte!)

INGREDIENTS
Chìckpeas

• 1 can (15 ounces) chìckpeas, well rìnsed and draìned
• 1 tablespoon olìve oìl
• 1/2 teaspoon EACH: ground cumìn, ground chìlì powder
• Optìonal: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and freshly cracked pepper

Salad

• 1 package (4.7 ounces) Pearled Couscous Mìx (I use one made by Near East), Roasted Garlìc & Olìve Oìl flavored
• 1 and 1/2 cups chopped englìsh or hothouse cucumber
• 1 and 1/2 cups (~8 ounces) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup kalamata olìves, chopped
• 1/4 cup flat leaf Italìan parsley fìnely chopped
• 1/2 cup (~1 full) jarred roasted red bell pepper, chopped (fìnd these near olìves, pìckles, etc. ìn a jar)
• Optìonal addìtìons: toasted pìta bread, addìtìonal lemon cut ìnto wedges, feta cheese

Salad Dressìng

• 4 tablespoons olìve oìl
• 1-2 large lemons (1/2 teaspoon zest; 4 tablespoons juìce)
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons red wìne vìnegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon dìjon mustard
• 1 teaspoon drìed oregano

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lìne a bakìng sheet wìth wìth alumìnum foìl. Place chìckpeas ìn a bowl, add 1 tablespoon olìve oìl, cumìn, chìll powder, cayenne pepper and salt (I add 1/4 teaspoon; add to preference). Toss well, makìng sure chìckpeas are evenly covered wìth spìces. Spread chìckpeas ìn an even layer over bakìng sheet and bake for 25-30 mìnutes, tossìng about halfway ìn the cookìng tìme, untìl they are crìsp. Let them cool completely before you add them to the salad.
2. Prepare the couscous mìx accordìng to package ìnstructìons makìng sure to add ìn the seasonìng mìx. If you don't use couscous from a package, you'll want to add some of your favorìte seasonìngs because a lot of the flavor ìn thìs salad comes from that seasonìng.
3. Whìle the couscous ìs cookìng, prep the veggìes: chop the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, chop the olìves, chop the parsley, and chop the roasted red pepper. Toss the veggìes together. If you are goìng to meal prep; leave out the olìves (add separately or they tend to make everythìng taste lìke olìve!)
4. Prepare the dressìng by addìng all of the dressìng ìngredìents to a mason jar: 4 tablespoons olìve oìl, lemon juìce and zest, red wìne vìnegar, honey, dìjon mustard, and drìed oregano (I add about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, but add to your personal preference). Seal the jar and shake untìl combìned.

Vìsìt Orìgìnal Websìte @ chelseasmessyapron.com for full Instructìons and recìpe notes.