Chickpea Salad with Roasted Garlic Yogurt
September 10, 2018 by Nicole Collins
It’s just another Meatless Monday.
I don’t wish it was Sunday.
Cause that’s too close to Monday.
And, I’d still have to run, hey.
It’s just another Meatless Monday.
Why do I feel like those aren’t the right words to the song…hmmmmm
JK! Happy Meatless Monday everyone!
I have to be honest. Meatless Monday is not something that I celebrate very often. It’s not so much that I’m a savage meat eater. It’s more so that the foods you need to replace meat with to feel full are usually on the super carby list.
Or, they’re mushrooms. And, we’re still not at a place yet where I’ll entertain a mushroom if it’s not chopped up in to itty bitty teeny tiny pieces.
Since I’ve become so much more conscious of carbs, I’m usually not willing to give up one of my carbs for the day to replace meat. I don’t eat a ton of red meat (which is supposedly what’s going to kill us all some day…join the club), so I feel confident in my choices for meat and protein intake.
But, every now and then I like to go meatless, just to say I did it. Not for any other reason than that. Maybe it’s the competitive side in me. Maybe it’s the rebel side. Who knows!
Today, we’re making a healthy lunch that will keep you feeling nice and full thanks to all of the good things we have happening in there. And though we’re using a carb to replace the meat, we couldn’t have picked a better one, in my opinion.
Today, we’re having Chickpea Salad with Roasted Garlic Yogurt!
Ok, so let’s talk about this salad. The star of the show is chickpeas, of course. Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a great source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants. So, this is what is going to help keep us feeling full until our next meal. You’re probably used to seeing chickpeas in hummus or falafel, but you can totally eat them as is out of the can after a little rinse. They’re so yummy too!
To accompany our chickpeas, we’re adding LOTS of veggies. We’ve got cucumbers. We’ve got peppers. We’ve got grape tomatoes. And, we’ve got roasted eggplant. I know, I know…eggplant is a fruit, not a veggie. But, you get the idea. Each has a different flavor and texture component that gives your mouth a lot to enjoy. The creaminess of the eggplant, the crunch of the peppers and cucumbers, the pop at the end from the burst of the tomato…wow!
To season our salad, we’re going to use a mix of some olive oil, lemon, cumin, paprika, and a touch of coriander. These are some classic Mediterranean flavors that match perfectly with the contents of our salad. And of course, we’ve got to add some feta in there to finish it off. Feta is one of my favorite things EVER, so how could we have a Mediterranean party without it?!?
The finishing touch to this salad is a roasted garlic yogurt that we’re going to drizzle on top. I know…MMMM, right! Roasted garlic gets nice and sweet in the oven, then the cloves get mashed and mixed with tangy Greek yogurt. Add a little water to thin it out and make it perfect for drizzling. This sauce adds a whole other dimension to this salad while giving it a nice, light feel. Can you believe all this yummy stuff is good for us!
Alright guys! 1 of 3 of today’s Meatless Monday meals is in the books! I hope you keep it up today whether it’s just to say you did or whether it’s to earn your Taco Tuesday for tomorrow. :-)
Either way, enjoy! And, let’s eat!
Chickpea Salad with Roasted Garlic Yogurt
Serves: 4 Print
Ingredients:
For the Roasted Garlic Yogurt:
1 small head garlic
½ cup plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp water
olive oil, for drizzling
salt and pepper, to taste
For the Chickpea Salad:
1 can (15.5 oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup cucumber, diced
1 cup roasted eggplant, diced
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp lemon juice
Directions:
Roast the Garlic: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the head of garlic horizontally, about halfway from the top, to expose the cloves of garlic. Place cut garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil slowly over the garlic covering the entire top surface (less than 1 tbsp). Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap foil around the garlic to create a closed pouch, and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 mins. When finished, let cool for a few minutes before carefully opening the foil. When cool enough to touch, squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves, and mash with a fork.
Add mashed garlic to a small bowl with yogurt, water, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients for chickpea salad. Gently toss to combine.
To serve, divide salad between 4 bowls. Top with a drizzle of roasted garlic yogurt. Enjoy!
Recipe notes:
*You can certainly make this as a make ahead meal. Store the salad and yogurt separately, and drizzle with yogurt when you're ready to serve. However, it will only last a day or two extra in the fridge, because the veggies naturally release their water.
*To roast eggplant, slice ends off eggplant. Slice eggplant to roughly ¾ inch slices (about the width of 1 and ½ fingers). Line a large baking tray with paper towels. Sprinkle roughly 1 tbsp salt on both sides of the cut eggplant. Let sit for 25-30 mins to draw out the moisture in the eggplant. After 20 mins, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Blot both sides on the eggplant with a paper towel to absorb moisture and extra salt. Remove the paper towels, and line the same baking tray with aluminum foil. Spray foil with olive oil cooking spray. Lay the eggplant slices in a single layer on the tray. Spritz the tops with olive oil spray. Roast for 25 mins.
*I used baby cucumbers, so I was able to slice them instead of dice them. They're super cute if you can find them!
