lime what? cilantro lime chickpea salad

Shortly after I posted my lime recipe round up last week Brandon sent me an instant message:

7:56 AM Brandon: the only one i dont think id like is: Cilantro Lime Chickpea Salad

Well too bad B, that’s what I made. I thought it sounded divine and I had everything I needed for it (including plenty of limes of course)

I ended up doing it a little differently than the source recipe mainly because I didn’t read it carefully enough and I had to adapt once I got myself to a point of no return. It’s ok, it still worked out.

lime cilantro chickpea salad

adapted from Heather’s Dish 

• 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 loosely packed cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• juice from 3 limes
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder

Mix the chickpeas and onion in a bowl. Chop the spinach very finely. (She suggested using a food processor [I used a blender] to help with the chopping, but then taking it out and put it into the bowl with the chickpeas…I left it in the blender as I added everything else)

Add lime juice, cilantro, sugar, mustard, garlic, and chili powder into blender and mix until it becomes a dressing consistency. Pour over chickpeas and onions and stir to combine.

Let is sit for a little bit while the flavors marinate.  Eat it up as is! Store extra in the fridge.

My version of this ended up a tad on the soupy side — I think because I left the spinach in the blender. I also used 4 limes worth of juice, but I don’t think I needed so much of that.

On the plus side, I didn’t have to add the olive oil since my dressing was already a good consistency. So that made this dish super healthy. Really no added fat at all.

So what did Brandon think? He was peering over my shoulder just as I was finishing mixing in the dressing and promptly, although a bit apprehensive, took a bite right out of the bowl. “oh, that’s tasty!” he said. And took the bowl with him out of the kitchen.

4 limes down, 6 more to go!!