Smoky Chickpea Salad

Last Saturday, I gave a talk and a demonstration at Apple Blossom Mall called "Tips for Quick and Healthy Eating" in which I talked about several strategies that we can all use for a healthier diet. I talked about substituting fish protein for red meat proteins, selecting lower fat proteins, and also about substituting plant proteins for meat proteins. To my great surprise, the dish that I used to demonstrate eating more legumes, my Smoky Chickpea Salad, was the big hit with the crowd. What a good thing this is, because chickpeas have been shown in lab studies to help control serum cholesterol levels!

I love this salad not only for its fabulous taste but for the fact that I can make it in under three minutes using canned chickpeas!

Smoky Chickpea Salad

4 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon pimentón (smoked paprika)
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced (one clove)
1/4 cup finely minced red onion (half a small red onion)

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Finally, I leave you with a little bit of food porn.