Curried Chickpea Salad

This is one of my all time favourite recipes that’s sure to please vegans, veggies and meat eaters alike.  I've been making it for years and it's always a hit whenever I serve it.

This dish is colourful, versatile, and nutrient-dense, and can be served in so many ways. It's perfect paired with a green salad or fresh spinach leaves and some whole-wheat couscous or quinoa, for a delicious healthy lunch or light protein packed dinner - you can top it with some feta cheese for even more protein. It also makes an ideal accompaniment alongside grilled fish or chicken, along with some fresh green salad, chopped tomato, and basmati or brown rice.  I usually double the recipe for a crowd or make a big batch to have on hand for a few days, for lunches or dinners (or a sneaky spoonful from the fridge… it’s that good!)

The combination of ingredients is heavenly – wholesome chickpeas, crunchy cashew nuts and seeds, fresh carrots and sweet juicy raisins and dried apricots, topped with the most delicious, sweet, creamy, curry dressing.

Chickpeas are a fantastic source of fibre and protein, and have a low glycaemic index.  This powerful combination makes them particularly good at helping with weight management.  In an Australian study, adults who ate 100g of chickpeas a day for four weeks, ate fewer processed snack foods, and felt fuller, compared to when they didn’t include chickpeas in their daily diet.  One cup of cooked chickpeas provides 50% of your daily fibre requirement, so it’s no wonder this legume provides long-lasting energy, keeps you feeling full, promotes good digestion, curbs appetite and has even been shown to help lower (bad) LDL cholesterol.

And I guarantee you that meeting your quota from my Curried Chickpea Salad will not disappoint!

Recipe Serves 4 Salad:

2 cups cooked chickpeas (2x 400g tins, drained) ½ cup raisins or Medjool dates, chopped ½ cup dried apricots, sliced 1 carrot, grated (optional) ½ cup raw cashew nuts, chopped ¼ cup pumpkin seeds 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped coriander (for garnish) 2 spring onions, sliced (for garnish)

Dressing: ½ cup mayonnaise/ veganaise ½ - 1 Tbsp. mild curry powder (adjust according to taste) ½ tsp. salt ½ Tbsp. agave syrup 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Mix together all dressing ingredients by hand in a small bowl. Combine all salad ingredients (apart from coriander and spring onion) together in a large bowl.  Add dressing and mix through, until everything is well coated.  Sprinkle chopped coriander and sliced spring onions over the salad to serve.  Serve either at room temperature or chilled from the refrigerator.  Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a few days.  Enjoy! xx