Chickpea, Carrot, and Dill Salad

The Greek gyro is a tasty pita bread sandwich filled with roasted ground meat(s) that are usually served with tzatziki sauce which is made of yogurt, garlic, and cucumbers. So how to take this Mediterranean delicacy and make it plant-based? By replacing the meat(s) which can be pork, lamb and/or beef with the healthy bean of the region, chickpeas or also known as garbanzo beans. Tzatziki sauce would work well, however, the tang of a lemon tahini sauce is used here.

ONWARD:

This chickpea salad filling could be used to make pita bread sandwiches or to serve as a topping for a tossed entrée salad. Both are included here. If a bit of sweetness is desired, add raisins or dried cranberries to the filling. Either the salad or the sandwich could be easily made the night before and taken to eat on the go or at work. For the salad put the dressing in the bottom of a repurposed plastic container with a lid or a large-mouth canning jar. Top with the salad ingredients and salad filling. For the sandwich fill the pita rounds with the salad filling and romaine, pack the dressing in a small portable container to be poured over the top when ready to eat. Don’t forget the napkin and reusable fork for this delightful, drooling creation!

2 servings salad or pita sandwich

INGREDIENTS:

Salad Filling

1 (15.5 ounces) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained, rinsed

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon filtered water

½ cup carrots, peeled, grated

½ cup celery, small diced

2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

Lemon Tahini Dressing

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon filtered water

2 tablespoons tahini

½ teaspoon garlic, mashed

¼ teaspoon sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

Chickpea Salad Filling

1.     Take one-half cup of the chickpeas and thoroughly mash with the salt, garlic, lemon juice and filtered water. Roughly chop the remaining chickpeas.

2.     Mix the chickpea mash, the chopped chickpeas, carrots, celery, scallions, and dill together. Taste, Think, Transform with salt and/or lemon juice.

Lemon Tahini Dressing

1.     Blend all the ingredients together with an immersion blender. Taste, Think, Transform with salt and/or lemon juice.

Use the Chickpea Salad Filling and Lemon Tahini Dressing to make either Chickpea Salad or Pita Filled Chickpea Salad Sandwiches:

Chickpea Salad Ingredients:

lemon tahini dressing

1 head romaine lettuce, sliced into one-inch ribbons

2 radishes, thinly sliced

1 small Persian cucumber, thinly sliced

8 grape tomatoes, halved

chickpea salad filling

Chickpea Salad Directions:

1.     Toss the dressing with the romaine, radishes, and cucumbers. Place on chilled plates. Top with the tomatoes, and chickpea filling.

Chickpea Salad in Pita Rounds Ingredients:

2 large or 4 small whole wheat pita rounds

chickpea salad filling

lemon tahini dressing

2 large romaine lettuce leaves, finely shredded

Pita Filled Chickpea Salad Sandwiches Directions:

1.     Slice the pita rounds in half. Fill with the salad filling and romaine. Top with the dressing.