Saturday, July 27, 2013

Carrot and chickpea salad with orange and avocado

This salad was an impromptu side dish made to complement a roast vegetable strudel like the one I did last Christmas. The strudel was hot and appropriate to winter. The salad is probably more appropriate to summer, but it was highly enjoyable regardless. Plus, it packs a hefty dose of vitamin C, and that at least is winter appropriate.


In addition to Vitamin C, this salad provides protein from the chickpeas and it is sweet from the orange. I think corn would be a nice addition to the mix too, and in future I may try that variation.

Whilst Mr Bite doesn't like chickpeas, he tolerated them in this dish. Similarly, whilst I don't like avocado, I was able to pick around it for my serves. Mr Bite's mother joined us for this meal and she enjoyed the dish without any preexisting food dislikes to be overcome!


After a dinner of vegetable strudel and this salad, we finished off our evening with a repeat batch of the dark chocolate tiffin as I posted about last October. It was a good meal. I recommend all three components, and can now see this salad featuring as an easy lunch option in its own right.

Carrot and chickpea salad with orange and avocado
An easy, fresh dish that could serve as a light main for 2-3 people or a side dish for more.
Vegan.


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups lettuce or spinach leaves, chopped
2 large carrots, grated
1 red capsicum (pepper), finely sliced
1 orange, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (mine were cooked from dry but this is equivalent to roughly 1 400g tin)
1 orange, juiced
2 tsp soy sauce
Small bunch chives, chopped (roughly 1 tbsp chopped)
Small bunch parsley, chopped (roughly 1 tbsp chopped)
1 avocado

Method
Combine the lettuce, grated carrot, capsicum, diced orange and chickpeas in a large bowl or serving dish. 

Combine the orange juice, soy sauce and chopped herbs in a small container and whisk to combine. Pour over the salad and toss through.

Slice the avocado and arrange on top of the salad.


Tell me - what is your favourite chickpea-based dish? I have so many it's getting hard to choose.

28 comments:

  1. I can't believe you don't like avocado?!?? I thought you would have loved it for sure.

    This looks like a great recipe! My digestion doesn't do great on legumes otherwise is be making it :)

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    1. I like avocado in dessert form, but that is it :P

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  2. Looks delicious- I can't get enough chick peas at the moment!

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  3. I would be fine with this as I like chickpeas and avocado. The dressing of soy and OJ sounds very good. My favourite chickpea dish is a Moroccan dish xx

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    1. Chickpeas and Morocco do go together perfectly, don't they? Chickpeas are just such a versatile ingredient.

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  4. I guess you can pick around things when you've made it yourself. These past few months, I've become quite the expert at eating whatever is on my plate, regardless of what I previously thought I "liked" and "didn't" like. Guess what? I'm not as picky as I thought. Hurrah!

    So I'd eat this.

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    1. Does this mean...chocolate orange is no longer devilish?!

      I have two categories of 'disliked'. One includes the things I'm not fond of but would eat if avoiding them was going to be socially inappropriate, or there was nothing else to eat - that includes avocado, cashews, white bread, eggs, dairy. The other includes things I really dislike to the point where I can not physically swallow them. Macaroni cheese has centre stage in that category.

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    2. Nope, never chocolate orange. But I did drink cognac in Lisa's sangria without vomiting.

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    3. Wait. I just realised that wasn't the big achievement I thought it was. Cognac isn't Cointreau. Cointreau's the one the makes me want to vomit. Ah well.

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    4. I'm so ignorant in the ways of alcohol - and such a novice at drinking it - that I'm proud of you anyway. Cointreau can be the next step...

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  5. Just discovered your blog when blog hopping.
    Very appetizing , healthy recipes and great pictures.
    Will be back for the next post :)

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    1. Thanks so much Daniela - I'm delighted you stopped by, and that you enjoyed this!

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  6. I made a fantastic salad of chickpeas, various tomatoes, basil and a vinaigrette the other day. It was like the traditional itallian panzella but with chickpeas instead of bread. I can see it and your salad becoming staples in summer, but for now I'm sticking with slow cooked goodness as the winter chill continues on.

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    1. Hot food definitely has some advantages at this time of year. You're salad sounds great though and reminds me that I don't do that flavour combination (chickpeas, tomato, basil) often enough!

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  7. I love both avocado and chickpeas and would love this salad - though probably more in summer than right now but the colours are certainly cheering at this time of year and orange sounds like a great addition

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    1. I am buying oranges more often these days as we've developed a Sunday morning orange juice routine for Mr Bite - and I've discovered I really like them! They're definitely great in salad form, even if maximum enjoyment probably does require some summer weather.

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  8. I'm pretty much a failure with chickpeas other than hummus and Moroccan dishes. I need to lift my game and I will start with this salad. It looks lovely.

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    1. They're such an easy thing to master Maureen! You'll be rewarded if you pursue them, I promise :-)

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  9. This is such a great summer salad! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Rayna! I'm glad you like the look of it.

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  10. This salad looks delish :-) I love chickpeas no matter how they're served - I'm yet to find a way I don't like them! lol

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    1. I think I might be the same - you can't go wrong with them really :-)

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  11. What a gorgeous looking salad - this would be perfect for my work lunches! I think my fave chickpea recipe would have to be hommous. Or a vegan chocolate chip cookie dough dip recipe that I make every now and then which tastes surprisingly like cookie dough!

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    1. Ooh, cookie dough would have to be high on my list too!

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  12. YUM. I love orange juice in dressings. This sounds like it would be wonderful for our summer weather as well as you winter :)

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    1. Thanks Gabby! And absolutely - a year round salad this one :-)

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