Chickpeas are just about the most versatile bean I've ever come across.
They pair well with so many flavors making them the ultimate bean in my
book. No wonder they are loved by so many! They may not have as much
protein or fiber as black beans and cannellini beans, but chickpeas come
in close enough with 15 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber per 1
cup. They are a nutrient dense food with good carbohydrates the body
needs and are low in fat with only 4 grams of fat per 1 cup. And the
other beans are not nearly as versatile as the chickpea. You can make savory chickpea pancakes with the flour, add them to ratatouille, stews, salads, make hummus, falafels, roast them as a snack and
the list goes on and on. They are the greatest bean ever and I can't
wait to put them into new recipes here in the future. I have lots of
ideas for these little guys!
And we'll start by adding this super awesome Cranberry Walnut Chickpea
Salad Sandwich to the collection. If you didn't already know, chickpeas
make for great sandwich fillers too!
You may already be familiar with my 'Chickpea of the Sea' Salad and my other classic Mashed Chickpea Salad.
This one is just as delicious but with a sweet flair that I just know
you'll fall in love with! I assure you that this will hit the spot and
satisfy your craving for a chunky, sweet, peppery, crunchy style
sandwich. Full of texture and flavor this has become my new favorite.
It's a hearty salad that will comfort you and leave you feeling
completely satisfied. This can be served as a traditional or open faced
sandwich. Or simply serve on a bed of lettuce and skip the bread. You
may even find that you love the salad all by itself without any
accompaniment! I can easily eat this straight from the bowl all day
long. :)
Slice your celery, feel free to add in some celery leaves if you can.
For the scallions, when slicing use both the green and white parts.
Roughly chop your walnuts. When buying cranberries, use organic whenever
possible (I like the ones from Trader Joe's, they're so brightly
colored too!). You can also use fresh chopped cranberries!
Roughly mash your chickpeas. I decided to double this batch using 3 cups
of chickpeas instead of 1 1/2 so you'll have plenty of leftovers. And
you'll be glad you have them! Add in the remaining ingredients and mix.
About as simple as it gets, which is why I love chickpea salads!
There you have it...serve on your favorite bread. I have it paired here with a fruit, nut and seed loaf.
Cranberry Walnut Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked or 2 cans (15oz) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 cup organic dried cranberries (chopped fresh would be great too)
- 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup scallions (green onions), thinly sliced, white & green parts
- mineral salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon each)
Dressing
- 6 tablespoons (1/3 cup) tahini or vegan mayo
- 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) champagne, white wine or cider vinegar (I used Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons water (only needed if using tahini)
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
To serve
- leafy lettuce of choice
- bread of choice
Start by mixing your dressing. In a small bowl combine tahini/mayo, vinegar, water and maple syrup. Set aside so the flavors come together. This can be made a day or two ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Add a tad more water, or vinegar if your a vinegar lover, to thin out dressing as desired. If using vegan mayo, you may like to add 2 more tablespoons.In a medium to large bowl, add your garbanzo beans and roughly mash with a strong fork or potato masher. Add in celery, cranberries, nuts, scallions, salt, pepper and dressing, mix well. Serve at room temp or let chill in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.
Serve on your favorite bread as a closed or open faced sandwich, or on a bed of leafy greens. You may even opt to simply enjoy the salad as is.
Serves 6 - 8.
Notes:
Add extra of anything you like, and vice versa if your not keen on an ingredient use less or omit! One particular ingredient may be the vinegar. I'm not much of a vinegar fan but I loved the orange muscat champagne vineagar and found I used quite a bit and loved it!
Change up the walnuts, using pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, etc. If using sunflower seeds, use half the amount called for.
For the dressing, I have only made this using tahini since I do not use any kind of store bought vegan mayos. If using vegan mayo, adjust accordingly adding more mayo as needed, maybe 1/2 cup instead of 1/3. I do recommend trying this reicpe with tahini...it is seriously so good that you would never know and it is much better/cleaner for you than the store bought mayos!
No comments:
Post a Comment