Tag Archives: garbanzo beans

Edible Bowls! Chickpea, Cucumber & Kale in Tomatoes

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garbanzo bean and tomato salad

 

“The chickpea is neither a chick nor a pea. Discuss.”  Remember when Mike Myers chatted about this the “Coffee Talk” comedy sketch on Saturday Night Live?

The chickpea, also known as a garbanzo bean, is actually a legume that has been around for more than 7,500 years. A popular choice for man Mediterranean and Indian dishes, the little chickpea is packed with big nutrition – an excellent source of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamin B6 for vegetarians. Vitamin b6 helps to stabilize blood sugar, metabolize foods and make antibodies to ward off disease.

garbanzo beans tomatoes

I came up with this lovely dish for Litehouse Foods and just knew I had to share it here  – it’s perfect for a lunch or light dinner. The cool and crisp salad is dressed with flavors favored along parts of Greece and Italy and packed into a tomato serving as an edible bowl. Did you know the healthy, long-living people of the Mediterranean region eat, on average, nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day? This chickpea salad will get you well on your way to meeting this daily goal.

chickpea salad in tomatoes

Chickpea, Cucumber & Kale Tomato Cups with Feta Dill Dressing

  •  1 ½ cups packed kale or baby kale leaves
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ red onion cut in chunks
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 medium cucumber chopped coarsely
  • 1 (15-oz) can rinsed and drained chickpeas
  • 2 large tomatoes (like Beefsteak variety)
  • ½ cup Litehouse Food’s OPA Feta Dill Greek Yogurt Dressing (plus additional for garnish)
  • 2 grape tomatoes cut in half
  • 2 ounces baby spring lettuce mix

Directions

  1. In work bowl of food processor, add kale, cilantro, onion chunks, lime juice and garlic. Pulse for approximately 1 minute or until ingredients are finely chopped like pesto. Set aside.
  2. In medium bowl, add chopped cucumber, rinsed chick peas and mixture from food processor. Add ½ cup dressing  and mix everything together until thoroughly coated.
  3. Cut large tomatoes in half crosswise and scoop out seeds and pulp with spoon (reserve for another purpose, if desired). Fill tomato cups with chickpea mixture and top with a dollop of dressing and grape tomato half. Serve on top of baby spring lettuce mix. Serves 4.

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I have another yummy mention – POPSUGAR Must Have Snacks by Nature Box. I received a box full of these nutritious nom-noms in the mail and have been enjoying mixing up my normal afternoon snacking. Being stuck inside working on the computer (and nursing my sprained ribs) is much more tolerable with five bags of healthy snacks like Blueberry Almond Bliss and Lemon Pucker Pistachios.

Check it out for yourself. For a limited time, the POPSUGAR Must Have Snacks by NatureBox will be 50% off!

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Disclosure: POPSUGAR and NatureBox provided me with a complimentary POPSUGAR Must Have Snacks by NatureBox box. The opinions I have shared about the box are my own, and POPSUGAR and NatureBox did not tell me what to say or how to say it.

Fresh Feast – Farmer’s Market Beef, Veggie & Brown Rice Salad

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jennifer fisher - thefitfork.com - farmers market beef veggie saladIn the excitement of debuting the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner ad, I forgot to add one of my favorite beef dishes to my Top 10 List of Beef Recipes.  Boasting colorful veggies, lots of good lean beef protein, and whole grains, the Farmer’s Market Beef Vegetable & Brown Rice Salad is a repeat winner and a real beauty on the table. One serving has 36 grams of protein and just 6 grams of carbs. Make a big batch for dinner and then pack the leftovers in a to-go container for a sustaining snack on a busy work day or a muscle-making mini-meal after a tough workout. It’s even perfect to pack for just lounging around by the pool or on a summer picnic. In case you’re wondering, this photo shows a triple batch of the recipe. I was hungry.

Brown rice is considered a whole grain since it still has the hull. That also means it’s high in fiber and, as far as carbs go, releases sugar slowly into the body. In fact, studies show that those who eat just one half cup of brown rice daily reduce their risks of developing diabetes by 60 percent. Conversely, those who consume white rice regularly increase their chances of developing diabetes more than 100 fold. But, if you still don’t do rice in your diet, never fear! Just take that right out of the recipe, the salad still tastes great.

Farmer’s Market Beef Vegetable & Brown Rice Salad

  • 1 beef top round steak, cut 3/4 inch thick (about 1 pound)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 cups asparagus pieces (2-inch pieces)
  • 1 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
  • 3 cups hot cooked brown rice
  • 1 cup diced, seeded tomatoes
  • 1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Marinade:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Combine marinade ingredients in small bowl. Place beef steak and 1/4 cup marinade in food-safe plastic bag; turn steak to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 6 hours or as long as overnight. Reserve remaining marinade in refrigerator for dressing.

Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Place steak on rack in broiler pan so surface of beef is 2 to 3 inches from heat. Broil 12 to 13 minutes for medium rare (145°F) doneness, turning once. Remove; keep warm.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add asparagus and squash; cook and stir 7 to 8 minutes or until tender. Toss with rice, tomatoes, beans, basil, salt and reserved marinade in large bowl.

Carve steak into thin slices. Serve over rice salad. Serves 4.

Nutrition information per serving: 514 calories; 15 g fat (3 g saturated fat; 8 g monounsaturated fat); 61 mg cholesterol; 593 mg sodium; 6 g carbohydrate; 7.3 g fiber; 36 g protein; 8.6 mg niacin; 1.1 mg vitamin B6; 1.5 mcg vitamin B12; 5.9 mg iron; 50.8 mcg selenium; 7 mg zinc.

This recipe is an excellent source of fiber, protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc.
From The Healthy Beef Cookbook, published by John Wiley & Sons