This Vegetarian Mashed Chickpeas Salad is a Game Changer

Ever since becoming a vegetarian nearly three months ago, I’ve constantly been asked “So, what do you eat?” And I have yet to come up with a satisfactory answer. I eat food that isn’t meat? Seriously, if someone has a good, complete way to answer that question please advise.

One of my favorite vegetarian staples is chickpeas. They’re packed with nutrients, and are absolutely delicious. I love to make homemade hummus or to just bake them for an easy, grab-and-go snack. This recipe works as the perfect vegetarian substitution for chicken salad. It’s delicious as a wrap or a sandwich, or it can just be eaten by itself with a fork.

Mashed Chickpea Salad

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time: minutesTotal time: 20 minutesServings:4 servings

Ingredients

• 15 oz chickpeas
• 1 cup celery
• 1 cup apple
• 1 cup red onion
• 1 cup carrots
• 1 cup kale
• 3 tablespoon favorite dressing (I used ranch)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

Instructions

1. 
   

   Chop the celery, apple, red onion and carrots. De-stalk and shred the kale. Combine in a bowl and set aside.

2. 
   

   Blend to the chickpeas in a food processor so that they are mashed but still have chunks for texture.

3. 
   

   Transfer the blended chickpeas to the bowl with the celery, apple, red onion, carrots and kale. Add the dressing, lemon juice and sunflower seeds.

4. 
   

   Stir the mixture and enjoy.

• Spring
• Summer
• Vegetarian