Black Bean and Chick Pea Salad: Protein-Packed and Delicious!

I’ve recently been eating a ton of legumes. I love how versatile they are and how easy they are to have on hand. I keep them dried in my pantry and even a few cans of organic, low-sodium options for when I’m in a rush. And, when it’s this stinking hot outside, a cold bean salad is a fantastic option for a light lunch or BBQ side dish. When I initially began throwing this together, I wasn’t sure I should blog it right away without getting feedback from my brutally honest friends. Well, it passed the test over the weekend, and I’ve even enjoyed toying around with the leftovers. Moral of the story? I’m now confident enough to share it with you today.

For this recipe you’ll need:

• 4 cups garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 green cubanelle or small green bell peppers, diced or julienned
• 1 brightly colored bell pepper, diced or julienned (I chose purple)
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño or other hot pepper, finely diced (remove ribs and seeds to keep heat down)
• zest of one organic lemon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• few grinds black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of garlic infused EVOO (use plain if you don’t have this)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon local honey
• 1 minced garlic clove (if you haven’t used garlic-infused EVOO)

Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl, fold gently, and let marinate for at least an hour before eating. This recipe should serve about 10 small portions.

Tweaks for cheese and meat lovers:

I added a bit of feta cheese and though it was a perfect addition. My boyfriend had it with feta and grilled chicken and thought it made a perfect lunch on a hot day.

Happy eating!