10 Minute Chickpea Salad Recipe – Vegetarian, Flavorful, and Healthy!

My oldest daughter has made the choice to become a vegetarian. This is amazing and awesome stuff because she’s learning crazy-good culinary and eating habits that make me proud. What her diet has done for me is slapped me squarely in the face: it’s reminded me that I am not eating enough vegetables and beans this season. I’m sure its the whole winter-thang. There are no fresh veggies growing within the tri-state area, so I am not inclined to eat veggies as regularly as I do in the summer. I crave comfort foods and want to trap myself inside the house and wear my flannels all day while simultaneously eating pork chops, potatoes, and gravy until I explode.

When my daughter came to visit this weekend I made a to-die-for chickpea salad in her honor that was perfect for all of us and made for a delicious protein-filled dinner. Below is the recipe – thanks to my beautiful daughter (with me in the photo below) for inspiring a healthier winter dinner!

10 Minute Chickpea Salad Recipe

• 2 15 oz cans chickpeas
• 2 handfuls fresh spinach, stems removed
• 1 cup carrots, julienned
• 2 small tomatoes, cubed
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, sliced thin
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh garlic
• Fat-free greek salad dressing – to taste
• juice of 1/2 a fresh lemon
• salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Done. BOOM! You are a cooking genius!

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Next time you have 10 minutes to prepare a danged good meal that is super healthy and vegetarian, try the 10 Minute Chickpea Salad Recipe. Perfect for lunch, and if you are serving dinner, the salad is great with bread on the side.