Quick Fix: Tunisian Chickpea Salad

I was looking for a cool salad for this July 4th and created this spicy North African inspired chickpea salad. It makes a light summer vegetarian salad. I added some hard-boiled eggs to add variety to the texture of the dish and I give a foolproof method for cooking the eggs.

HELPFUL HINTS:

The vegetables can be very coarsely chopped in a food processor.

The salad can be made a day ahead. Bring to room temperature before serving.

COUNTDOWN:

Boil eggs.

Prepare salad ingredients.

SHOPPING LIST:

To buy: 1 carton of eggs (4 needed), 1 can reduced-sodium chickpeas, 1 cucumber, 1 bunch celery, 1 tomato, 1 lemon, 1 bunch mint, 1 bunch parsley, 1 bottle ground cumin and 1 package whole wheat pita breads.

Staples: onion, olive oil, salt and black peppercorns.

Tunisian Chickpea Salad

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

4 large eggs

1 cup canned reduced-sodium chickpeas. drained and rinsed, divided use

1/2 cup chopped onion.

1/2 cup cucumber diced, skin on seeds removed

1/2 cup diced celery

1 cup diced fresh tomato

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 whole wheat pita breads, cut into triangles

Place eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer. Cook for 12 minutes. Drain and rinse eggs under cold water. When the eggs are cold, peel and cut in half and then cut each half into quarters. Set aside.

Remove 1/2 cup chickpeas and add the remaining chickpeas to a mixing bowl. Mash the 1/2 cup chickpeas with a fork or in a food processor. Add them with the onion, cucumber, celery, tomato and cumin to the bowl. Mix all together. Add olive oil and lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of chickpeas and mix all ingredients together. Divide between two dinner plates and sprinkle mint and parsley. Arrange the egg quarters around the plates. Serve with the pita bread.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 542 calories (34 percent from fat), 20.3 g fat (4.5 g saturated, 7.9 g monounsaturated), 372 mg cholesterol, 26.1 g protein, 65.7 g carbohydrates, 12.4 g fiber, 642 mg sodium.