Thursday, April 16, 2015

Kale and Chickpea Salad

 
 
This is one of my favorite salads!  It is just so good.  I can live on this.  Just give it to me for lunch and dinner and I am good to go.

Indeed, I am catering a party for a friend in a few weeks and have been having her over for tastings.  When she tasted this salad she said it must definitely be on the menu.  She took the leftovers home and her whole family agreed with her.  So it is not just me.  And just forget that this is really good for you.  It is great tasting too.  And did I mention that it should really be made in advance?  Making it several hours or a day ahead allows the kale to tenderize and mellow out.  I should warn you though, make a lot because even though it can and should be made in advance, it is still really good right away.  Thus if you do not make enough you will not have any for later.....

By the way, I make it with bulgur wheat but you can also use quinoa.  I used quinoa when my friend visited.  She has celiac thus is gluten intolerant and the salad tasted great.  So good in fact that she ate it for breakfast, lunch and dinner!


Kale and Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

 
Finely chiffonade the kale
Ingredients:

1/4 cup fine bulgur wheat
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 bunch kale (mine weighed 9 ounces before trimming)
1/2 cup chopped, fresh parsley
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (green and white portions)
1/4 cup chopped, fresh mint leaves
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium tomato, diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt

1.  Put the bulgur and the 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.  Pour 1/4 cup boiling water over top and set aside.  Put the chickpeas in a colander and rinse well and set aside to drain.
2.  Rinse kale well and remove tough stems.  Spin in a salad spinner to dry well.  Grab a handful of kale at a time and finely chiffonade it.  Add it to the bowl with the bulgur.  Add the chopped parsley, green onions, mint, garlic, tomato and chickpeas.  Stir and mix well pulling the bulgur from the bottom of the bowl.
3.  Make the dressing.  In a small bowl whisk together the lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, pepper and garlic salt.  Pour over salad and mix well.  Refrigerate several hours or overnight until ready to serve.

Enjoy