Characteristics

This simple salad is deeply satisfying, filling, and highly nutritious. In just a few minutes, you can enjoy an optimally healthy meal that will provide an excellent amount of healthy protein, carbohydrates, and fats, as well as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and fiber. As a bonus, this salad is oil-free, cholesterol-free, and can be optimally low in sodium. It can be easily enjoyed on its own as any meal of the day.

TYPE: Meal, Salad
PERPARATION TIME: < 10 minutes (must have cooked chickpeas on hand) SERVINGS: makes 1 full meal serving (multiply quantities as needed)

  • Raw* (chickpeas will be cooked, unless you choose sprouted raw ones)
  • Vegan (100% plant-based)
  • Gluten-free
  • Wheat-free
  • Corn-free
  • Soy-free
  • Peanut-free
  • Nut-free
  • Seed-free
  • Oil-free
  • Cholesterol-free
  • Refined Sugar-free
  • Isolated Sugar-free

Goodies Needed

INGREDIENTS:

  • 5 - 6 TBSP Chickpeas (organic, pre-cooked from dry, or sprouted)
  • 1 small avocado or 1/2 of a large avocado
  • 1 small to medium Tomato (organic)
  • 1/4 English Cucumber (organic)
  • 1/4 (or less) of a small Onion (organic)
  • 2 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar (organic, additive-free)
  • 1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder (organic)
  • 1/2 - 1 tsp cumin powder (organic)
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne powder (organic)
  • dash of unrefined sea salt

TOOLS:

  • Cutting board
  • Utensils
  • Salad dish

Preparation Steps

  1. For this recipe, you will need to make sure you have the right chickpeas ahead of time. Either have sprouted chickpeas for a fully raw salad, or pre-cooked (from dry) chickpeas. (Try to avoid canned chickpea use for optimal health.)

  2. Place 5 to 6 tablespoons of the cooked chickpeas into your salad dish.

  3. Wash the avocado, cut in half to remove the pit and peel, and dice into the salad dish. (Learn how to work with an avocado here.)

  4. Wash the tomato, remove the core, and cut into thin slices. Dice into small pieces and transfer to your salad dish.

  5. Wash the cucumber, cut off about 1/4, slice and dice into small pieces. Add to your salad dish.

  6. Peel the outer layers of the onion, cut off about 1/4 or less (depending on the size of the onion). Slice the onion into thin layers, then dice the layers into small pieces. Add to your salad dish.

  7. Add the balsamic vinegar and spices to the dish and stir everything thoroughly together.

Notes

  • This salad can be easily adapted to suit your needs, whether it be portion-wise or ingredient-wise. You can experiment with different beans, as well as swapping the cucumber for a colored bell pepper.

Meal Nutritional Benefits

Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans):

  • Offer a rich source of healthy carbohydrates and protein
  • Source of (in descending order): molybdenum, manganese, folate, copper, phosphorus, iron, and zinc
  • Protects against heart disease by decreasing chances of a heart attack, lowers cholesterol, stabilizes blood sugar, helps prevents IBS and constipation and reduces risk of colon cancer
  • An excellent source of iron to prevent anemia and increase overall energy
  • For more information, visit the chick pea detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods

Avocado:

  • provides the meal with healthy fatty acids
  • good source of (in descending order): vitamin B5, vitamin K, copper, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin E, potassium, and vitamin C
  • help regulate healthy blood pressure, help decrease LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol and enhance overall health
  • help protect against breast cancer, prostate cancer and oral cancer
  • for more information, visit the avocado detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods

Tomato:

  • excellent source of numerous phytonutrients, including lycopene – an antioxidant found to decrease many cancers as well as heart disease
  • good source of (in descending order): vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, molybdenum, potassium, manganese, fiber, chromium, vitamin B1, vitamin B6 and folate
  • aside from preventing a list of cancers, especially of the prostate, they also enhance prostate health, colon health and pancreatic health
  • for more information, visit the tomatoes detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods

Cucumber:

  • great alkaline source to decrease body’s acidic levels
  • good source of (in descending order): vitamin K, molybdenum, vitamin B5, potassium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, vitamin C, folate, and magnesium
  • promotes healthy skin, intestinal health and blood pressure
  • for more information, visit the cucumber detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods

Onion:

  • contain numerous flavonoids
  • good source of (in descending order): biotin, vitamin C, fiber, manganese, molybdenum, vitamin B6, tryptophan, folate, potassium, phosphorus and copper
  • helps lower blood sugar, enhances cardiovascular health, lowers high cholesterol, reduces risk of colon cancer when regularly consumed and protects against many other cancers like ovarian cancer
  • boosts bone health, has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties
  • for more information, visit the onion detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods

Garlic:

  • Adds a rich aroma to any meal
  • Good source of (in descending order): manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, tryptophan, selenium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B1, copper and protein
  • Has numerous cardiovascular benefits including: helping prevent atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, reducing risk of heart attack or stroke, inhibits coronary artery calcification plus many more
  • Protects against many cancers, protects against asbestos and promotes healthy weight control
  • Has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral activity
  • Promotes optimal health
  • For more information, visit the garlic detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods

Cumin:

  • adds a delightful rich flavor and fragrant aroma to any meal
  • good source of: iron, manganese, copper, calcium, and magnesium
  • protect against cancer, enhance good digestion, stimulate the immune system and enhance overall health
  • for more information, visit the cumin detailed overview from World’s Healthiest Foods

Cayenne Pepper:

  • anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and phytonutrient rich
  • vitamins: an excellent source of vitamin A, as well as vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin K, and vitamin E
  • minerals: provides small amounts of most essential minerals
  • offers pain relieving, immune boosting, and disease preventing properties
  • for specific nutritive values, visit the cayenne pepper profile on NutritionData.com

Unrefined Sea Salt:

  • naturally occurring complex of sodium chloride, which includes major minerals such as calcium and magnesium and a complete complement of essential trace minerals
  • alkalizing to maintain proper acid/alkaline body balance
  • has helped to promote optimal health in civilizations for centuries