Chickpea, Red Pepper, Basil, and Lemon Salad

Recipe by: Barbara Kafka | from The Intolerant Gourmet: Glorious Food Without Gluten and Lactose

Cookstr

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Total Time: Under 30 Minutes

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Inexpensive

chickpea-red-pepper-basil-and-lemon-salad

Photo by: Joseph DeLeo

There cannot be a salad that is more nutritious. I have served it as a first course and as a main on a summer’s day.

It is colorful with a variety of textures. Before being added to the lettuce and surrounded by the cucumbers, the salad keeps very well when covered and put in the refrigerator.

Yield: Serves 4 as a main course, 6 as a first course

INGREDIENTS

One 19-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (see Notes)
1 red bell pepper (about 6 ounces), seeded, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice (about 1 cup)
2 radishes (1 ounce each), tipped, tailed, and cut across into thin slices (2 tablespoons)
½ bunch basil (1 ounce), cut across into ¼-inch strips (¼ cup)
2 cups cooked quinoa—red is the hardest to find, but nicest in this (see Notes)
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
½ cup Basic Vinaigrette
1 head Bibb lettuce (about 5 ounces), with small, bright green leaves
1 slim cucumber (4 to 5 ounces), cut across into 1/8-inch slices

Directions

Combine the chickpeas, bell pepper, radishes, basil, quinoa, lemon zest, and vinaigrette in a medium bowl until well coated. Lay pieces of lettuce out in a shallow bowl or salad bowl in an even layer. Place the chickpea mixture in the center in a generous pile. Arrange cucumber slices on top of the lettuce in a ring around the chickpea salad.

Notes

Quinoa:

This good-to-eat seed (grain) that I often serve as a side dish or as a replacement for rice when I want a risotto but am short of time is a nutritional wonder.

To cook quinoa, use twice as much liquid as quinoa by volume (2 cups water to 1 cup quinoa, for example). I usually add a little olive oil to the water. It can also be seasoned when cooked.

Bring the liquid to a boil. Add the quinoa. Stir and reduce the heat so that the quinoa bubbles. It will take from is to 20 minutes to cook, depending on the heat.

To cook 1 cup dried chickpeas:

Stovetop: Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Add to a medium saucepan with 6 to 7 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 1 to 1½ hours (older chickpeas take longer to cook). Drain.

Microwave: Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Add to a 2-quart soufflé dish with 4 cups water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain.

No-heat Method: Soak overnight in 6 to 7 cups water. Cook briefly. Makes 2½ cups cooked chickpeas.

Editor's Note

Nutritional information is based on 6 servings and does not include Basic Vinaigrette. For nutritional information on Basic Vinaigrette, please follow the link above.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrients per serving (% daily value)

Calories 446kcal (22%)

Sodium 27mg (1%)

Total Carbohydrate 76g

Fiber 19g

Fat 7g (11%)

Trans Fat 0g

Saturated Fat 1g (4%)

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 0mg (0%)