BY EMILY BROUILLETTE
I don’t know about you, but summer seriously snuck up on me this year. It seems like we went from snow to 100-degree heat in a matter of weeks. I can’t think of anything I’d rather be eating during these hot summer days than a cool, crisp, healthy salad. This is a favorite of mine and my daughter’s, because it’s not only delicious, but filling and healthy! This Mediterranean Chopped Salad is full of satisfying ingredients and is blanketed with a zesty lemon vinaigrette. By now, we should all know that following a Mediterranean-diet is good for us. The best part is that you can arrange the ingredients and make this your own. Substitute the red onion for kalamata olives, perhaps? Add avocado? No rules here, just pure deliciousness.
Ingredients
2 heads of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 small red onion, diced
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts
4-6 radishes, sliced
1 medium cucumber, diced
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
6 oz Feta cheese
Crispy Roasted chickpeas (recipe below)
Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe below)
Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
2 (15oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp onion salt (I like Trader Joe’s)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp each salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse the chickpeas really well and pour onto a paper towel lined baking sheet to dry. In a small bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients. Remove the paper towel and add olive oil to coat the dry chickpeas then toss with your dry ingredients. Roast for 30 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Lemon Vinaigrette
¼ c red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp each salt and pepper
½ c olive oil
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Whisk vinegar, mustard, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Gradually add in olive oil, whisking to combine. Whisk in lemon juice. Store in a mason jar; shake well before serving.