Garbanzo Salad with Artichoke Hearts

I remember as a young adult visiting my father’s family in Barcelona one summer years ago, my uncle and cousins had taken me on an afternoon sightseeing  tour.  This was an exciting time to be able to visit my father’s childhood city. As we started to get hungry in the early evening, my uncle stopped at a corner store  so we could replenish our energy to continue. I was surprised when he came out with a can of garbanzo beans. Looking back I truly appreciate his snack choice!


Garbanzo Bean Facts
Garbanzo comes from the Latin name Cicer arietinum, which means "small ram," due to its shape resembles a ram's head. Garbanzo beans are also referred to as chickpeas, Bengal grams and Egyptian peas. Garbanzo beans originated from the Middle East and can be found in many cultural prepared foods. This bean as a known for a high protein legume. According to whfoods, today the main commercial producers of garbanzos are India, Pakistan, Turkey, Ethiopia and Mexico. These beans provide cholesterol-lowering fiber just like many other beans. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as garbanzo beans, helps prevent heart disease. If you would like to read more on how the garbanzo beans lowers cholesterol or more nutritional information, please visit the whfoods.org .

Garbanzo Salad with Artichoke Hearts

2 cups garbanzo beans – cooked

1 ½ cups black beans - cooked

2-3 medium tomatoes

¼ cup thinly sliced red onions

3-4 garlic cloves (good size)

2-3 TBSP each of olive and apple cider vinegar

Lemon juice from 1 lemon

Parsley

Basil

¼ cup flax seeds (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Place cooked garbanzo beans, black beans in bowl.*
• Dice tomatoes to bite size pieces
• Thinly slice red onions by cutting down on edge of onion
• Mince garlic using a knife or garlic press
• Add tomatoes, red onions and garlic to the garbanzo and black beans
• Add artichoke heart pieces. I add some of the marinated oil as well.
• Add fresh chopped herbs or dry herbs
• Incorporate oil, vinegar and lemon juice
• toss salad together

*You can also use canned garbanzo black beans. Be sure to rinse them well to get rid of excess salt. If cooking beans, you will need 1 cup of uncooked garbanzo beans and ¾ cup of black beans. Beans can be prepared by presoaking them overnight and then cooking them in enough water to cover the beans, being brought to a boil and then cooking them until cooked. I plan to prepare more information on how to properly prepare “dry beans” in another post.

Note: Garbanzo beans can also be used to prepare hummus-a nice spread or dip; they can also be added to a green salad and can be included in a vegetable soup.



When were you first introduced to Garbanzo beans? Are they part of your regular food choices?

This recipe was shared with
Tuesday Twister at GNOWGLINS
Two for Tuesday at A Moderate Life
Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the kitchen Kop