Here's the Dish: Warm Chickpea Salad

This is a hearty salad that I make often. It has all the Middle Eastern inspired flavors that I love, plus it’s loaded with a lot of stuff that’s good for you, like fiber and protein. The below recipe yields quite a bit ~ I’m basing this on two people. Keep this in mind if you’re making it for only one or two. You’ll end up with a lot of leftovers, but if you’re like me then that means instant lunch for the next day at work!

Warm Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large red onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 pinch dried chili pepper flakes

1 1/2 lemon, juice of

1-2 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic & cook gently for 5–7 minutes until soft and transparent.

2. Add the chickpeas, ginger, and chili flakes and stir for about 30 seconds. Then add the lemon juice and let the mixture bubble until almost dry. Next add the cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Place the chickpea mixture into a serving bowl and pour over the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle the cumin and paprika on top, gently stir then serve warm.