Ingredients
For the Salad Base
- 1 can Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) Drain and rinse well
- 1 cup Cucumber Diced
- 1 cup Bell Peppers (any color) Diced
- ¼ cup Red Onion Chopped
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes Halved
- ½ cup Kalamata Olives Halved
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley Chopped
- ¼ cup Fresh Mint Chopped
For the Zesty Lemon Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup Lemon Juice (Freshly Squeezed)
- 2 cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 tablespoon Honey Or maple syrup for vegan option
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- to taste teaspoon Salt
- to taste teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Optional (but highly recommended!)
- ½ cup Crumbled Feta Cheese Fold in just before serving
Preparation Steps
- Drain and rinse canned chickpeas thoroughly. Pat them completely dry with paper towels.
- Chop cucumber, bell peppers, and red onion into uniform, bite-sized pieces. Halve cherry tomatoes and Kalamata olives.
- Finely mince fresh parsley and mint.
- In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, oregano, and cumin. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking.
- In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, diced vegetables, halved olives, and fresh herbs. Pour the vinaigrette over and toss gently to coat. Let it marinate for at least 15-30 minutes.
- Just before serving, gently fold in crumbled feta cheese.