{"id":218320,"date":"2019-06-10T23:00:53","date_gmt":"2019-06-11T03:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=218320"},"modified":"2019-06-10T23:00:53","modified_gmt":"2019-06-11T03:00:53","slug":"nutty-chickpeas-and-kalamata-olives-give-this-salad-a-kick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/06\/10\/nutty-chickpeas-and-kalamata-olives-give-this-salad-a-kick\/","title":{"rendered":"Nutty chickpeas and kalamata olives give this salad a kick"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
To make our salad hearty, instead of deli meat we incorporated nutty chickpeas. (Pixabay Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The appeal of a chopped salad is that all the ingredients are cut to a uniform size and tossed together, permitting a taste of everything in each bite.<\/p>\n

Virtually any ingredients may be used, yet most chopped salads are uninspired, laden with deli meats and cheeses and drowned in dressing. With a world of options at our disposal, we steered our salad in a Mediterranean direction, starting with escarole.<\/p>\n

A member of the chicory family, this underutilized leafy green is loaded with vitamins and has a mild bitterness that pairs well with bold flavours. Next we added chopped cucumbers and grape tomatoes, salting them to remove excess moisture, and red onion.<\/p>\n

To make our salad hearty, instead of deli meat we incorporated nutty chickpeas. Kalamata olives added richness, and walnuts brought crunch and healthy fats. We tossed everything with a simple red wine vinaigrette to let the salad’s flavours shine through.<\/p>\n

Finally, not wanting to completely eliminate cheese from our salad, we sprinkled on 1\/2 cup of briny feta to round out the flavours. Cherry tomatoes can be substituted for the grape tomatoes.<\/p>\n

MEDITERRANEAN CHOPPED SALAD<\/p>\n

Servings: 6<\/p>\n

Start to finish: 25 minutes<\/p>\n

1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1\/2-inch pieces<\/p>\n

10 ounces grape tomatoes, quartered<\/p>\n

Salt and pepper<\/p>\n

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar<\/p>\n

1 garlic clove, minced<\/p>\n

3 tablespoons cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil<\/p>\n

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed<\/p>\n

1\/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped<\/p>\n

1\/2 small red onion, chopped fine<\/p>\n

1\/2 cup chopped fresh parsley<\/p>\n

1 head escarole (1 pound), trimmed and cut into 1\/2-inch pieces<\/p>\n

2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1\/2 cup)<\/p>\n

1\/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped<\/p>\n

Toss cucumber and tomatoes with 1 teaspoon salt and let drain in colander for 15 minutes.<\/p>\n

Whisk vinegar and garlic together in large bowl. Whisking constantly, drizzle in oil. Add drained cucumber-tomato mixture, chickpeas, olives, onion, and parsley and toss to coat. Let sit for at least 5 minutes or up to 20 minutes.<\/p>\n

Add escarole, feta, and walnuts and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

Nutrition information per serving: 309 calories; 202 calories from fat; 22 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 11 mg cholesterol; 743 mg sodium; 21 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 9 g protein.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https:\/\/www.americastestkitchen.com<\/a>\u00a0. Find more recipes like Mediterranean Chopped Salad in \u201cNutritious Delicious .\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

America’s Test Kitchen provided this article to The Associated Press.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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