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
PREPARATION TIME: < 10 minutes (must have cooked chickpeas on hand)
SERVINGS: makes 1 to 2 full meal servings
- 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:
- 8 Tbsp Organic Cooked Chickpeas
- 1 Organic Avocado
- 1 Organic Tomato
- 1/4 Organic English Cucumber
- Optional: Organic Onion - a few slices diced
- 2 Tbsp Organic Balsamic Vinegar (additive-free)
- 1/2 - 1 tsp Organic Garlic Powder
- 1/2 - 1 tsp Organic Cumin Powder
- 1/4 tsp Organic Cayenne Powder
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp Unrefined Sea Salt OR Himalayan Salt
TOOLS:
- Cutting board
- Utensils
- Salad dish
Preparation Steps
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 chickpeas, if possible.)
Place about 8 tablespoons of the cooked chickpeas into your salad dish.
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.)
Wash the tomato, remove the core, and cut into thin slices. Dice into small pieces and transfer to your salad dish.
Wash the cucumber, cut off about 1/4, slice and dice into small pieces. Add to your salad dish.
If you are using an onion, peel the outer layers, and slice off a desired amount. Then, proceed to dice the slices into small pieces. Add to your salad dish.
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
Chickpeas / Garbanzo Beans / Hummus
- provide healthy carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and are naturally low in fat
- provide phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
- provide vitamins, especially vitamin A, C, K, and most B vitamins, including folate and choline
- provide minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, and selenium
- support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- support healthy, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
- protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases
- Tip: Enjoy all varieties of chickpeas for more variety, including Kabuli (light-colored) and Desi (dark-colored)
Avocados
- provide healthy fats, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber
- provide lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
- provide vitamins, especially vitamin A, C, E, K, and most B vitamins, including folate
- provide minerals, especially in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, and selenium
- support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- support proper eye health, skin health, and immune health
- support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
- protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases
Tomatoes
- provide some carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and are virtually fat-free
- provide lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
- provide vitamins, especially vitamin A, C, K, and some B vitamins, including folate
- provide minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, chromium, and zinc
- support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
- support healthy eye health, immune health, and digestive health
- protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases
Cucumber
- low source of carbohydrates and protein, and is virtually fat-free
- provides lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
- provides many vitamins and minerals
- supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
- protects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, infections, and other diseases
- helps to regulate proper fluid balance
Onions
- provide anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties
- provide lots of phytonutrients and antioxidants
- provide vitamins, especially vitamin C and some B vitamins, including biotin and folate
- provide minerals, especially copper, manganese, and phosphorus
- support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- support immune health and iron metabolism
- protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes
- support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
Garlic
- provides anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties
- provides lots of phytonutrients and antioxidants
- provides vitamins, especially vitamin C and some B vitamins
- provides minerals, especially manganese, selenium, calcium, phosphorus, and copper
- supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- supports the immune system and iron metabolism
- protects against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes type 2
- supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
Cumin
- not a significant source of calories or macronutrients
- provides phytonutrients, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial benefits
- provides vitamins, including vitamin A, C, and some B vitamins
- provides minerals, especially potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron
- supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
- protects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, infections, and other diseases
Black Pepper
- not a significant source of calories or macronutrients (carbs, fats, protein)
- provides phytonutrients and antioxidants
- provides anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties
- provides vitamins, including vitamin A, C, and K
- provides minerals, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron
- supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- supports digestive health; helps prevent bloating and gas
- supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
- protects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases
Unrefined Salt
- unrefined sea salt unrefined Himalayan salt
- naturally alkalizing
- a source of over 80 essential and trace minerals
- supports optimal blood pressure, heart and nervous system health
- supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
- Health Tip: avoid all forms of refined, white salt and processed foods made with it