Spiced Chickpea, Sundried Tomato and Spinach Salad

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PREP TIME: 10 Minutes   COOK TIME: 10 minutes    SERVINGS: 4 to 6

Ingredients...

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp Sarafino Mauro extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Nobili Sapori red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Mrs Bridges Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Salad:

• 3 tbsp Sarafino virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans (14 oz/398 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed*
• 1 tsp Organic Fair ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp Organic Fair ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp Organic Fair ground turmeric
• 1/4 cup chopped sundries tomatoes, packed in oil and patted dry
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cups tightly packed baby spinach, sliced into thin ribbons
• 1 cup yellow or red cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup raw walnut pieces

Method...

1. Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2. Make the Salad: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.
3. Add the chickpeas, stirring occasionally until they appear to absorb the oil in the skillet, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cumin, turmeric and coriander and stir to coat, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the sundries tomatoes and salt.
4. To serve, in a large bowl, toss together the parsley, spinach, tomatoes and walnuts with the roasted chickpeas and dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Turn out onto a serving dish. Serve warm or chilled.

Make it Healthier: Cook with unsalted chickpeas. If you have salted chickpeas on hand, use only 1/4 tsp salt in the salad instead of 1/2 tsp.

Make it Faster: You can make the chickpea mixture 1 day in advance and refrigerate until needed.

To Purchase Eat More Plants by Desiree Nielsen, RD

Using Dried Chickpeas

Dried chickpeas are much more economical and tend to have more natural flavour because they aren't soaked in preservatives. Once cooked any extra beans can be frozen to be used at a later time. However you must soak them first before you cook them. Click here for instructions on how to cook in the Instantpot.

How To Soak Chickpeas

Sort through the beans to make sure there are no stones or debris, removing any that you may find. Place in a colander and rinse under cold running water before draining.

Long Soak: Place chickpeas in a large bowl and completely cover with cold water. Allow to soak overnight or for at least 12 hours.

Quick Soak: Place beans in a large pot and cover with 2-inches of water. Bring to a boil, cook for 1 minute, cover and remove from heat. Leave to soak for 1 hour, then drain, rinse and cook.

How To Cook Chickpeas

Once beans are soaked (long or quick method), you now must cook them. Drain chickpeas in a colander and transfer to a large pot. Cover with water twice the amount of the chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and allow the pot to simmer on low for 1 hour. Do a taste test to make sure they are tender enough. Simmer a little longer if you want them a little more tender. Drain and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Now they are recipe ready!

Using An Instant Pot?

1. Cover 1 lb dried chickpeas with 6-cups of water and secure lid moving the steam release valve to SEALING. Select Manual or Pressure Cook button and cook at high pressure for 50 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. When screen reads LO10, move the steam release valve to VENTING to release the remaining pressure. 
2. When the floating valve in the lid drops, it;s safe to remove the lid. Test the chickpeas for tenderness by mashing one against the side of the pot with a fork. Use cooked beans immediately or store 2-cup portions in the freezer for use in recipes that call for 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) size.

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