Refreshingly cool during the summer months, this punchy little Mediterranean Chickpea Salad requires a laughingly small amount of effort for a huge return on flavor, with NO ovens needed.

Juggling glass balls, hoarding your spoons, or however you term managing your precious time and energy is a particularly fine line of balance, no matter the person or the situation one finds themselves immersed in. When I was in my Masters program, it was a rough block schedule I had roughly sketched out in my head to include classes, study sessions for said classes, rehearsals, individual practice sessions, coaching sessions, voice lessons, and all the typical Professional Student daily activities crammed on top of working a 20 to 25 hour work week in order to keep my financial situation as healthy as a student’s can be.I loved the juggling balls visual, slightly modified to include some more resilient rubber balls in addition to the fragile glass ones. Sometimes, learning how to say “No” and determining what activity or person (a rubber ball) is most resilient can be a sanity saver when focusing on the more pressing issue at the time (a fragile glass ball). Paying the rent hits a higher priority (glass ball) over that much longed for a snazzy, shiny vehicle (rubber ball), an extra hour of practicing for an unexpected, but vitally important audition (glass ball) rates higher than an impromptu movie with a friend (rubber ball). The beauty of life is learning how to balance these different balls, keeping them constantly rotating in and out of the rotation of everyday life. Realizing that everything is fluid and each task can shift in importance and priority moment by moment is critical, in my experience, in adapting to new and unknown situations.

In my graduate school days, and even during my Property Management/Private Voice Teacher days, it was a constant struggle to highlight and focus on my nutrition. Coffee, especially fancy lattes, were a constant for a late breakfast or early lunch, some fruit, a turkey sandwich here, a PB cup there, and chicken coop upon chicken coop of eggs were consumed, as well as the entire state of Idaho’s potato crop. One of the sides I made quite frequently were the Balsamic Roasted Vegetables from this Roasted Vegetable Stromboli. They required minimal prep work with a huge punch of nutrition and flavor in return, and are a staple in my diet. Another such recipe I love that is similar in terms of big flavor for minimal work, is this Mediterranean Chickpea Salad. It is bright, punchy, and perfect for summer because it does not require any stovetop cooking or turning on an oven.

Fresh and bright, this Mediterranean Chickpea Salad's flavors mature and develop as it sits. Its great right after it's made, but even better the next day (or three!).

Utilizing this salad during the summer months, which drain me and others who live with a demyelinating disease like NMO which can cause heat intolerance and chronic fatigue,, has allowed me to manage my residual symptoms this summer in a way I was not able to last summer. Camping, attending a few gorgeous weddings held outside, and other excursions held in places outside of the safe haven of air conditioned venues were able to fill our lives this year because I did not have to spend so much time and energy on figuring out nutritious food. These past 5 weeks have been pretty draining in the fact that I started phase two of the clinical trial I am participating in for NMO research for a hopefully (in the near future) FDA approved drug for NMO patients and have to travel once a week for infusions. Traveling absorbs a huge amount of time and energy for any person, so I wanted my meals to be on my game nutritionally to set myself up for success in terms of energy expended vs. the reward of mouthwatering food.

This little salad has been a saving force for me in particular this summer. In finding the perfect balance for juggling the glass balls amid the rubber balls of diminished energy, socializing, housework, and consuming good, nourishing food for my body this Mediterranean Chickpea Salad hits on all points in making my life easier. Within 20 minutes, this salad is put together, homing in on the absolutely delicious requirement I look for in homemade food (because otherwise what’s the point of making it yourself if it’s not going to be delicious). It’s packed with protein, vegetables, and the salad is an incredible base for a plethora of other meals if I need to make it stretch through the week. Toss it on top of some salad with a hard boiled egg for a quick, light lunch, serve with orzo and some of this chicken grilled for a more complete meal, or fold into a wrap with other Mediterranean inspired ingredients for a delicious handheld meal.

This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is ridiculously flavorful, filled with the bright zing of lemon, sharpness weaving its way through from the fresh garlic, and earthy tones from both the Oregano and Chickpeas. The sweet, juicy little grape tomatoes tango perfectly with the salty Feta Cheese, and the onions and cucumbers add depths of funkiness and subtle coolness in their crunch. This is one of those salads that the flavors mingle and mature as you let it sit, and is almost unconventionally easy and simple to put together. For the Vinaigrette, just a little whisking and then tasting to adjust the lemon juice and salt as needed, then gently tossing it in the sliced and diced vegetables. You can add chopped Kalamata Olives if you have them on hand, but I often do not keep them stocked which is why they are omitted from this recipe. If you do add them, just a few chopped are needed, as they are an incredibly potent flavor and a little goes a LONG way. In the world of “Perfectly Versatile Foods” this little salad is a complete winner, and completely refreshing and delicious during the craziness of Summer.

Stupendously simple, the earthiness of the Chickpeas is a perfect base to complement the sweet grape tomatoes, tart and herby vinaigrette, and salty, fresh Feta Cheese.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Author: Iris Anna Gohn

Servings: 3-4 Mains, or 6 Sides

This Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is one that is simple and easy to prepare ahead of time. The advantage of a salad like this is that the longer it sits, the better the flavors meld together. I do think it is best to consume within 4 days because of the Feta Cheese in it.

This salad also has the advantage that you can toss it into mixed green salads, into wraps, and into pasta salads if you are looking to bulk it out a bit - it is basically the “guts” of a salad and can be utilized accordingly. Feeling like a Mediterranean Flatbread? Just toss this atop one that has lemon chicken and a bit of olive oil, garlic, and mozzarella.

This Salad is also extremely easy to modify to your own tastes. Hate onions? Omit them and add extra cucumbers, or add more cheese if you prefer it with extra feta. These are my preferred ratios of vegetables, chickpeas, and vinaigrette!

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette:

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice (Juice of 1 small Lemon)
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 1/2 Tsp Minced Garlic (1 to 2 Cloves Fresh Garlic)
1/2 Tsp Whole Grain Mustard
3/4 Tsp Dried Oregano
1/8 Tsp Granulated White Sugar
3/4 Tsp Kosher Salt, divided
1/4 + 1/8 Tsp Fresh Cracked Pepper
Zest of 1 Lemon

For the Salad:

1 Cucumber, sliced in 1/8 inch slices
1 Pint Grape Tomatoes, Halved
1/8 Onion, sliced in 1/8 inch slices (I used a medium white onion, but the equivalent amount of a red onion is also very good in this salad - the taste is just a bit more pungent, a bit less spicy)
1 Can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed thoroughly
4 oz Block Feta, small dice (1/2 a package of Block Feta. I use Athenos brand)
2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, minced

Directions

For the Vinaigrette:

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, whole grain mustard, oregano, sugar, 1/2 Tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and lemon zest until emulsified.
Taste, and add up to 1/4 Tsp more salt and 1/8 tsp more pepper, to your own personal preferences. I prefer it with the full amounts added. Set aside to let the flavors start to come together while you prepare the rest of the salad.

For the Salad:

In a large bowl, add the cucumbers, halved grape tomatoes, onions, chickpeas, parsley, and feta.
Whisk together the Vinaigrette to re-emulsify and then pour over the vegetables and chickpeas. Gently fold together with a spatula.
Taste, and adjust salt and pepper if desired. Serve plain, or as a side to a protein. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.