Thursday, August 18, 2016

Basil Garbanzo Bean Salad



Summer time is an excellent time for using yummy vegetables in the garden or from the local farmers market!  There are so many ways to use legumes and vegetables together that can make a perfect meal!  I am thankful that my family will eat whatever I make and enjoy it most of the time too.  We had fresh basil and lots of it so that is the reason for this recipe.  I had some frozen garbanzo beans in the freezer in 2 cup container that I made several weeks ago.  So that made this salad quick and easy once I thawed out the garbanzo beans.


So I used 2 cups of cooked garbanzo beans, 2 small pickling cucumbers, 1 small red onion, 1/2 orange pepper (or 4 petite orange peppers), 1 medium tomato, and a large bunch of basil (it was 1/2 cup finely chopped basil).  I used 3 TBS red wine vinegar or 1-2 TBS lemon juice can be used and 1 tsp garlic salt.


I like soaking and sprouting all of my legumes and grains if I can before cooking them.  It makes them easier to digest and taste better as well!  And I like having them ready to go in the freezer (or canned will work as well) so a quick and easy salad can be put together quickly.  Chop up the vegetables very fine or use a vegetable chopper to make light work of the vegetables and then they are the same size.


The salad all mixed up and ready to eat!  It was very yummy!  The kids said they could really taste the basil, Great!  That was the whole point, we love the taste of basil and what an excellent way to use it!  We ate this plain with tomato sandwiches but it can be served with a crusty bread or with some salad greens for a complete meal.


Basil Garbanzo Bean Salad

2 cups garbanzo beans, cooked (or 1 15 oz can)
1 medium tomato, minced
2 small pickling cucumbers, minced
1 small red onion, minced
1/2 orange pepper, minced (or 4 petite orange peppers)
1/2 cup basil, minced
3 TBS red wine vinegar
    OR
1-2 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp garlic salt (or to taste)

1. In medium bowl add cooked garbanzo beans.
2. Mince all vegetables and add to the bowl with garbanzo beans.
3. Add vinegar or lemon juice and garlic salt.
4. Mix well and serve.  Can marinate for several hours or eat right away with crusty bread or salad greens.

Enjoy!







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