I love it when eating the “good-for-you” stuff is really delicious! Many years ago, I attended a nutrition class that was offered through our county’s adult education department. The instructor served up this amazing salad that she obtained from the American Council on Exercise. This is a vegan recipe, but I’ll confess, I added feta cheese when I made it for my family, and it was delicious!
Honestly, Greek anything without feta is like pancakes without syrup! But even so, it was superb without it, too, and works for vegans, who by definition only consume plant-based foods – nothing of animal origin, including eggs or dairy products. This beautifully colorful salad is delicious also as a side dish to grilled meats such as Mediterranean chicken kebabs, or even skirt steak.
Greek Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes & Basil Chiffonade
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained
- 3 plum (Roma) tomatoes, diced, or 20 cherry tomatoes quartered
- 2 celery stalks finely diced
- 1/2 cucumber peeled, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 scallion finely diced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives pitted and chopped
- 4 large basil leaves chiffonade (shredded fine)
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil plus or minus to taste
- 1 lemon juice plus or minus to taste
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- Optional: avocado and feta cheese
Instructions
- Combine the chickpeas in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients. Toss well and taste for seasoning. Serve at room temperature.
