Summer Chickpea Salad (Garbanzo Bean Salad)

I came across a recipe for a Summer Chickpea Salad at the Organic Gardening website that sounded really good.  After reviewing the recipe I realized I didn't have red onion or any roasted red peppers on hand, but figured I could make it and tweak it a bit and this is what I came up with.  It is fresh and satisfying for a light summer lunch or side dish.  Last night we stuffed this in some crunchy corn tortilla shells and added a bit of Feta Cheese to the to the top along with some Arugula for punch. It made a great taco!

Summer Chickpea (Garbanzo Bean) Salad
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2 cups Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans), cooked

4 garden fresh heirloom tomatoes of your choice, I used Goliath and Cherokee Purple, diced in large chunks

1 red Bell pepper, diced

1 green Bell Pepper, diced

1 yellow Bell Pepper, diced

1 medium white Onion, diced

1 large Shallot, diced

4 cloves Garlic, chopped

1 Armenian Cucumber, diced, peel left on (these are the long, 1 foot or more cucumbers)

¼ cup chopped parsley

Juice from 2 lemons

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground Coriander seed
 optional addition of 1 tablespoon olive oil

1.       Cook the chickpeas in a small slow-cooker for several hours until tender, drain and place in a large bowl.  (I used 2 cups of chickpeas and 8 cups of water. I never soak my beans before I cook them and always use a slow-cooker, they come out perfect every time.)

2.       Sauté onion, shallot and garlic in the olive oil until just soft, do not brown. 

3.       Toss all ingredients together in the bowl of chickpeas and mix lightly.  Add a little more olive oil if you find you need it.   I did add one more tablespoon to mine. Let stand 15-30 minutes to let flavors blend in.

Farro with Sage Scented Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard

On my weekly jaunt to Trader Joe's I found 10-Minute Farro. Farro can take a while to cook so I thought it was worth a try. I am so glad I did!

I cooked mine in my rice cooker and it took 15 minutes from the time I clicked the start. No need to boil water; it turned out fluffy and so yummy.

I had just picked some swiss chard from my little garden and using both plus a butternut squash that I had on hand, came up with this. I kept my recipe very simple and added some fresh sage to the butternut squash.

Printer friendly recipe found HERE

Farro with Sage Scented Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard

Makes about 6 Servings

1 package 10-Minute Farro (249 grams) from Trader Joe’s
2 cups Beef Broth, low fat
2 ½ Tablespoons olive oil

2 Shallots, diced

1 medium Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

2 Tablespoons fresh Sage, chopped

14 ounces fresh Swiss Chard Leaves, sliced, stems removed (save stems for another use)

3 cloves Garlic, chopped
Sea Salt 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Toss the cubed butternut squash with 2 TB olive oil, chopped sage, and diced shallots.  Spread all on a sheet pan and roast 15 minutes, check and stir; continue roasting about 15 minutes more or until squash is tender.

Fresh Sage from the Garden

 Extracts from sage (Salvia officinalis) have been shown to improve memory recall. The high concentration of antioxidants, such as rosmarinic acid, in the aromatic leaves can help reduce DNA oxidative damage, thereby improving brain function. Naturally occurring chemicals in sage (such as oleanolic and ursolic acids) also have strong antibacterial qualities, potentially helping to reduce numbers of food-borne pathogens, including dangerous E. coli. Imbibing sage tea daily for four weeks has been reported to improve blood cholesterol numbers.

Chop the Sage

If your Garlic has sprouted the Germ like mine have, remove it before chopping.

Everyone in the oven!

While squash is roasting, place the farro in a small rice cooker with the beef broth and cook for 15 minutes.  Turn off and toss to fluff, keep covered until ready to serve.  If you don’t have a rice cooker, follow directions on the package using the beef broth for the water.

Cooked Farro

Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add ½ TB olive oil, minced garlic and the sliced swiss chard leaves; sauté just until tender.   

Fresh, Organic Ruby Red Swiss Chard from my garden

Chard will cook down to this

To Serve: place ¾ cup farro in center of plate, top with 2 ounces of swiss chard and 3 ounces of butternut squash mixture. 

Sprinkle with sea salt and lemon juice, if desired. See below for nutritional information

Nutritional data provided by NutriMirror.com