Mediterranean Chickpeas salad with Tahini dressing

Have you been struggling to eat salads like me? I love salads as a side but it is difficult for me to eat them as a meal. I like cooked food more over raw vegetables to feel satisfied. If I have an option, I would choose soup over salad to eat healthy.  However I feel that sometimes salads can provides an array of flavors and textures that can't be found in soups. Therefore, I have been trying to come up with the salad that I can enjoy as a meal and this Mediterranean Chickpeas Salad is just what I needed. It is a perfect blend of vegetables, flavors and cooked spiced chickpeas! Needless to mention, this salad is my perfect balanced meal that is rich in nutrients, fibers and protein. 

The Mediterranean Chickpeas Salad is refreshing and very simple to prepare. The recipe is very flexible as far as the blend of vegetables that can be used to prepare it. But the two star ingredients of this salad are the spiced chickpeas and the tahini dressing. These two are a must to enjoy that delicious tasting Salad. 

Vegetable blend -

I have used fresh baby spinach, baby cucumbers (Turkish cucumbers), avocado, cherry tomatoes and parsley. But if you don't have these veggies, here are some fresh veggies that goes well with this salad - broccoli, green or red bell peppers, red onions, corn kernels, kalamata olives, etc. For leafy greens, you can try arugulas, baby lettuce or chard. Also, you can use chopped roma tomatoes if you can't find cherry tomatoes. 

Chickpeas - 

In an effort to save time I have used canned chickpeas but you can also use dried chickpeas. Just soak the dried chickpeas overnight and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. Just remember to not overcook them as we don't want to mash them. 

Tahini -

As I mentioned earlier, tahini dressing is very important for this recipe. So, try to find store brand Tahini to save time. You can also prepare it at home easily, it refrigerate well for up to 2 weeks. 

Mediterranean Chickpeas Salad with Tahini dressing

Prepare time -15 minutes

Serves - 2

Ingredients

Salad vegetables

1 Large Avocado cubed

2 Cup Baby Cucumber diced

8-10 Cherry tomatoes halves

1 Cup Baby spinach

1/4 Cup Parsley finely chopped

1/4 Cup Red onion thinly sliced (optional)

Tahini dressing 

1/4 Cup Tahini

2 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp Black pepper powder, to taste

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 Medium Lemon

1 Tbsp Maple syrup or honey

2 tablespoons water, more as needed

Salt to taste

Spiced Chickpeas

1 Can (16 oz) chickpeas drained and rinsed (1 1/2 Cup boiled Chickpeas)

1 Tbsp Olive oil

1/4 Tsp Cumin powder

1/4 Tsp Black pepper powder, to taste

1/4 Tsp paprika

Salt to taste 

Instructions

Begin by heating up a pan on medium flame and add olive oil. Add drained and washed chickpeas along with the remaining ingredients listed under Spiced Chickpeas. Combine well and cook the chickpeas for 3-5 minutes. 

Turn off the flame and transfer the Spiced Chickpeas to a bowl. Keep it aside.

Now in a small mixing bowl, add all the ingredients listed under Tahini dressing except lemon and water. Squeeze in the lemon juice and whisk everything together until well combined. Add 1 or 2 tablespoon of water for better consistency of the dressing. Keep the Tahini dressing aside.

Finally in a big mixing bowl, add all the vegetables listed under Salad vegetables followed by the Spiced Chickpeas and Tahini dressing. Combine everything well so all the ingredients of the salad are nicely coated with the dressing. 

Serve this deliciously blended Mediterranean Chickpeas Salad in a big Salad bowl or a plate and enjoy your meal! :)

The cooling Beetroot & Mint Raita (Salad)

Hi foodies, today I am going to share a very simple yet very appetizing recipe - The cooling Beetroot & Mint Raita (Salad). It is a quick, easy recipe and a must try for this summer! The combination of crunchiness of beets, the freshness of mint leaves and the creaminess of yogurt is simply unbeatable. I stumbled upon this dish earlier this year when I was trying to find low carb diet recipes. I have tried different versions of it but this one by far is my favorite as it has zero oil and zero sugar. 

                             

I immediately fell in love with this Raita (Salad) as it is not only healthy but also a delicious dish that can be eaten as a side or as a meal by itself. I plan to gobble this dish as my meal at least once a week, especially in summer. 

For a long time, I was consuming beets as a simple salad. I would boil, peel and slice them out on a plate. Though I always knew there are abundant health benefits attributed to this amazing root vegetable, I always struggled about finding ways to consume them until recently. In last few years, I have tried and tested different recipes using beets and trust me this vegetable has never failed to impress me. Beetroots are gifted with natural sweetness and are low in calories, low in fat and a great source of fiber, vitamins as well as minerals such as folate, potassium, iron and Vitamin C. They also help improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. These are just few of their numerous health benefits. 

On the other hand, mint leaves apart from giving cooling sensation, help improve digestion, provide anti-inflammatory and anti bacterial benefits. 

Lastly, yogurt is a great way to consume the much needed nutrients for our body. The active cultures (Probiotics)  in yogurt benefit our digestive system. Yogurt not only contains higher percentage of vitamins and minerals like calcium, vitamin B-12, phosphorus, potassium, etc. but it is also an excellent source of protein. 

So with all these amazing health benefits combined in one power packed dish, this recipe is a jackpot and can't be missed for any reason! This is my version of the cooling Beetroot & Mint Raita and I am sure you and your family will enjoy it as much as we do. Let's get started...

Ingredients -

2 Small or 1 Medium beetroot  

Handful of mint leaves

1/2 Cup whole milk yogurt or Greek yogurt   

1/2 tsp black salt

1 tsp cumin powder

Salt to taste 

      

Let's prepare it...

Peel the beetroots and coarsely grate or shred them using a grater. Transfer the shredded beetroots in a bowl.

                             

Roughly chop the mint leaves and add them to the shredded beetroots.

Now add salt, black salt and roasted cumin powder to the mixture. Please keep in mind to add little less salt than you normally desire as we are also adding black salt to the Raita. You can always add more salt later if you like.

           

Next add whole milk yogurt or Greek yogurt. Mix everything well coating the beetroots with yogurt and spices.

   

Garnish with a spring of mint leaves and voila... the cooling Beetroot & Mint Raita (salad) is ready!

                                 

At this point you can either put the Raita in the fridge for an hour or two before serving, or you can serve it right away (you can use cold yogurt if you plan on serving it immediately.)

Additional note -

I have not used any oil to make this Raita but if you wish you may also add some tempering to it. 

To temper, heat up some oil and add some mustard seeds. When crackled, fry some curry leaves and pour temper evenly over the Raita.