As you know I have recently been on holiday, and I can confess that I haven’t been eating healthily, at all. A myriad of pizza, pasta bakes and wine have left me feeling a little bloated and lethargic. I love Houmous, and as you know Houmous is made from chickpeas. Chickpeas are such a great food because they are full of protein and fibre and fill you up really quickly, which is why I love to use them in my cooking at home. Have you seen my Lentil and Chickpea Tikka Masala?

It was a hot day when I decided to make this salad, and I prepped a bowl which we could use for a quick dinner in the week as we started back at work. This is such a simple, delicious and nutritious recipe, packed with vitamins and free of any dairy or meat which is a winner in my book! It leaves you full and satisfied without that bloated feeling, and for he UK’s late summer this year, it seems the perfect choice for a healthy dinner.

Balsamic vinegar is one of my top kitchen essentials, it’s tangy and rich, but also gives a real depth of flavour to salads such as this one.

Note: I used a little too much oil here, you only need a tiny little drop to cover the base of the pan to start with.

These awesome liquid shots are courtesy of Sam, if you ever want to check out his work, take a look at Sam Radford Photography, i’d really appreciate it 🙂

Healthy Roasted Chickpea Salad

Serves: 2     Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 x 400g Can of Chickpeas
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 10 Plum/ Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Medium Carrot
• 10 Basil Leaves
• 1 Handful Coriander
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• Juice and Zest of Half a Lemon
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• Sprinkle of Salt

1.First of all, drain your chickpeas and place them in a pan on medium heat with a splash of olive oil.

2. Once your chickpeas have cooked for a couple of minutes, add in your paprika and salt. Cook for a further 5-6 minutes until toasted. Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside.

2. Prepare your vegetables by grating the carrot, halving the tomatoes and chopping the pepper. Finely chop the coriander.

3. Assemble your salad by adding the chickpeas, tomatoes, peppers, carrots and herbs to a large bowl, and then drizzling with the oil, vinegar and lemon juice. Mix well and serve!

You can serve this on it’s own as a healthy lunch or even use it as a side dish with a grilled chicken or salmon and a dollop of sweet potato mash!