Who says salads don’t contain enough protein? This tangy and delicious Mediterranean Chick Pea Salad is packed with clean plant protein and will leave you feeling full and satiated. It’s a great make-ahead salad for lunches.
I love a good mediterranean salad! It’s actually my favourite go-to healthy option at regular restaurants (with dressing on side). It’s packed with great ingredients like tomatoes, peppers and onions. My version replaces the lettuce with baby kale for an extra punch of dark leafy nutrition, and adds chick peas for plant-based protein goodness. One cup of chick peas contains 40g of protein and a whopping 35 grams of fibre! The onions and kale are part of the cruciferous (aka brassica) family of veggies that are anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked chick peas (Sidebar: you can use canned, but be sure to buy BPA-free chick pea cans and rinse the chick peas at least 3-4 times until no bubbles appear and water runs clear. Most canned food contains way too much salt and preservatives. I like Eden Foods as their cans are all BPA free and the ingredients are organic. The cost is usually the same as regular canned food or $0.10-30 cents more)
- 2 cups baby kale
- 1/2 cup chopped flat parsley
- 1/2 chopped onion
- 1 diced tomato
- 2 tablespoons hemp hearts
- Optional: 1/2 diced cucumber or red pepper
- Optional: 2 tablespoons diced feta cheese
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- Dash of white wine vinegar
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- Dash of cayenne pepper
Directions:
- Combine all the dressing ingredients and set aside
- Toss together salad and pour on the dressing
- Enjoy!
