I gobble garbanzo....salad!

GARBANZO BEANS...

Well, I love garbanzo (chickpeas) beans!  These beans are a huge part of Mediterranean cuisine.    Did I mention I love Mediterranean food?  Falafels, pitas, hummus, grape leaves, Moroccan salad, tabouli, tahini sauce, babaganoush, and lots more are loves of mine.  I love the Mediterranean salad that's the topic of this blog.  It is fresh, light, and filling, but it was originally made with yogurt.  So, I decided to veganize it.

Now, let me tell you a bit about garbanzo beans.  They are high in protein, fiber, iron, folate, and manganese.  The taste of garbanzo beans are great.  Vegans often use them in patties, cheeses, dressings, etc.  I usually stock up on the dried chickpeas more than I do any other bean, even though I do not discriminate with my beans. I'm generally an equal opportunity bean lover, but I use garbanzo more than any other bean.

So, how do I make these babies?  I make them in my pressure cooker in a snap (about 10 minutes) after picking through them and soaking them overnight. For those of you who have pressure cookers, I've included a YouTube video regarding how it's done. I actually have a pressure cooker similar to the one used in the video.  Tip: If you don't have time (20 minutes) to wait for the pressure to drop, try moving it to the sink directly off of the burner and running cold water over the pot until the pressure button goes down.

Pressure cooker video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN08K52uoDM

So, without further ado, let me give you the recipe to what I'm having tonight.  I've included the inspiration (nonvegan) recipe for all of you who want to try it the vegetarian way.  It is important to say that I've made my "fake feta" in advanced and from leftover tofu.  It takes about 24-48 hours to make fake feta due to the tofu having to soak up the flavoring.  I've included a picture of my fake feta below.

Close up of the fake feta (tofu).

MEDITERRANEAN GARBANZO SALAD
Original recipe: http://dashingdish.com/recipe/mediterranean-chickpea-salad/

Salad:

• 2 cups garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• 1/8 cup parsley (flat leaf), chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper (red or green), chopped
• 1/2 cup roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/8 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 2 Tbs   vegan feta cheese crumbles (recipe coming tomorrow!)
• 1/8 cup red onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup English cucumber, diced

Dressing

• 1/2 Tbs lemon juice
• 1/2 Tbs red wine vinegar (or apple cider)
• 1/4 tsp garlic, chopped
• 1 Tbs plain Coconut Greek-style yogurt or soy cream cheese
• 1 pinch salt and Monk's pepper (or to taste)
• 1 pinch of cane sugar/drizzle of honey

Instructions:

Cook garbanzo beans, let cool to room temperature, and set aside. Place in a medium bowl. Wash and dice vegetables to small bite size pieces (This is best done with an onion dicer). Add to the bowl with the garbanzo beans. Crumble vegan feta and add to bowl along with the sliced kalamata olives. 

In a bottle with a lid, add the ingredients for the dressing, and shake and/or stir to mix. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat with dressing. Chill in fridge for about an hour to chill or enjoy immediately! 

Fresh garbanzo salad for dinner!  I'm in Mediterranean bliss!

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Enjoy!  Let me know if you like it!