This salad is my wonderful ‘throw together’, put in the fridge, and let it marinate beauty! I love the flavours in this salad and with the cost of living rising sharply, it’s pretty cheap and very filling. Even if you are not a fan of chickpeas (which is probably because they have been served in a bland way) the mixture of mint, lemon and paprika are just delicious. I always use the jarred chickpeas which I pick up in my local Turkish supermarket for 89p a jar! (they have gone up recently by 20p) Chickpeas are high in fiber and protein and break down slowly in the gut, keeping you fuller for longer. did you know that chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are considered a vegetable and a legume because they are so nutritious? well, you do now!

Ingredients

1 x large jar of cooked chick peas (560gr)
1 x red bell pepper – chopped
1 x long light green pepper – chopped
4-5 x spring onions – finely chopped (use all the green bits)
1/2 x small red onion – finely chopped
1-2 x tsp sweet paprika
Juice of 1 medium lemon (and the zest)
1/2 x cup of fresh chopped mint (or more if you really like it)
1/2 x cup of fresh parsley – chopped
3 x tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 x tsp sea salt
1 x tsp ground black pepper
1 x clove of garlic – grated (optional – I prefer without)
(chopped cucumber and cherry tomatoes – I only add these in if I will be serving the salad the same day and it will be eaten as I don’t like limp tomatoes and cucumber!)

Method
Drain your chickpeas and add them to a large tupperware. Now add in all the other ingredients (this is really easy!) Taste the flavours and add whatever you want more of – combine well and put the lid on the tupperware. Leave for a few hours for the flavours to really combine and then carefully spoon into a decorative bowl if you are having friends come to eat – if not put your spoon in the tupperware and keep helping yourself!

This salad is great to serve as a side dish and look so nice on the table, a few fluffy pitta breads and some humous and you will be in heaven!