Tangy Four-bean Salad & Chickpea Salad
04-06-2015
Author: Blog Editor in Diet for a Tiny House
A Mediterranean Recipe for RV Cooking
A Mediterranean diet meal of salad or antipasto and a crusty bread is such a healthy timesaver in an RV. Have jars of roasted peppers, olives, and artichokes around... And different kinds of canned beans. Beans provide one source of protein in a plant-based diet. Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are my favorite high protein queen bean and the basis for hummus (especially good when made fresh in that Cuisinart you left back home) and its deep fried companion, falafel.These two delicious Middle Eastern staples are particularly good in pita or flatbread, smothered in tzatkiki sauce (a cucumber-yoghurt-garlic-lemon sauce) the traditional topping.
Chickpeas are also high in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals and they are near the bottom of the legume “gas production” scale, if you know what I mean.
Chickpeas are considered a starchy carbohydrate and are a great staple for people with diabetes. They do not produce high glucose in the body when consumed. Thus they rate well on the glycemic index, according to Seed Guides.
1 cup gives you all this.
• Calories: 270 kcal
• Total carbohydrate: 45 g
• Dietary fiber: 12.5 g
• Sugar: 8g
• Protein: 14.5 g
• Saturated fat: 0.4 g
• Monounsaturated fat: 1.0 g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 1.9 g
• Total fat: 4.2 g
• Total Omega-3 fatty acids: 70.5 mg
• Total Omega-6 fatty acids: 1825 mg
• Vitamin A: 44.3 IU
• Vitamin C: 2.1 mg
• Vitamin E: 0.6 mg
• Vitamin K: 6.6 mcg
• Thiamine: 0.2 mg
• Niacin: 0.9 mg
• Riboflavin: 0.1 mg
• Vitamin B6: 0.2 mg
• Folate: 282 mcg
• Pantothenic acid: 0.5 mg
• Choline: 70.2 mg
• Calcium: 80.4 mg
• Magnesium: 78.7 mg
• Phosphorus: 276 mg
• Potassium: 477 mg
• Iron: 4.7 mg
• Sodium: 11.5 mg
• Copper: 0.6 mg
• Zinc: 2.5 mg
• Selenium: 6.1 mcg
• Manganese: 1.7 mg
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
• Water: 98.7 g
• Ash: 1.5 g
Impressive! So here are two recipes that feature the garbanzo in a starring role. Both are great companions to a picnic lunch and there is no cooking pots involved with the exception of boiling the beans. Tangy Four Bean Salad (a very colorful delicious dish that’s great fresh with farmer’s market green and wax beans if you can get them) and Tangy Chickpea Salad.
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Tangy Four Bean Salad
makes 7 cups of salad
serves four
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon seasoning like Mrs. Dash original version
- 2 cups fresh green beans
- 2 cups fresh wax beans
- 1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
- 1/2 of a red bell pepper, thinly sliced into one inch strips
- 4 scallions, chopped into thin rings
- Salt and pepper to taste
Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil. If the beans are the same basic size - normal full length beans (not haricots verts -- thin young green beans*), drop them in together in the boiling water and set a timer for 5 minutes. After five minutes do the tooth-test on a bean, run under cold water for a second and taste it for doneness.
A bean should be crisp-tender, not stringy or chewy. If it is stringy or chewy throw it back in and test again in another minute. The beans should not boil longer than 7 minutes no matter what. Drain immediately and plunge into a very cold water bath to stop the cooking process.
( * Haricot verts will need a lot less time in the boiling water -- sometimes just a minute or two. These are the kind sold by Trader Joes in cellopane packs.)
Drain and rinse the garbanzos and the kidneys. That canned soaking liquid is what causes the gassy issues, so you don’t want it lingering on the legumes.
In a small bowl whisk together the honey, vinegar, oil and seasoning until smooth. In a large bowl toss green beans, wax beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, bell pepper and scallions. Pour on the dressing.
And there you have it! A tangy four-bean salad that's perfect for RV traveling.
To make a full meal, my suggestion is to have a portabello burger with melted cheese on ciabatta bread and cole slaw and a side of fries. Let me know if you’d like a recipe for that!
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This recipe was enjoyed by our family and my vegetarian Mom, dear heart. When she lived alone in her senior apartment, I would make this for her. She loved it. You will love it too!
Tangy Chick Pea Salad
serves 2
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup diced red onions
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice and two slices of lemon for garnish
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup italian parsley, finely chopped
- 1 can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
- two cups of spinach leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces and loosely packed
- salt and pepper
- Ranch dressing
Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Add chick peas and toss.
Divide spinach onto two plates. Drizzle with Ranch dressing. Garnish with a lemon slice to squeeze on the spinach and salt and pepper to taste.
I hope you enjoy both of these RV-friendly, Mediterranean salads!
Email me at [email protected] if you’ve tried any of these to tell me what you think! Send me recipes you think others would like and I will try them and give you full credit!
-Wendy
About Blog Author Wendy Gorski: I'm a full-time traveler with my husband Nick, and we live in a 2011 Airstream travel trailer. In 2012, we sold our 4,000-square-foot house with its gourmet kitchen and bought our 100-square-foot tiny Airstream house. In this blog, I'll share recipes, tips, thoughts, and experiences as we careen across the country in search of adventure. All my recipes will be primarily plant-based, fast to cook, easy to clean up, and delicious!
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