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Broccoli and Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dressing

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Broccoli & Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dressing
Broccoli and Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dressing Pita…with Avocado Spread

Broccoli and Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dressing is super easy! It was one of our fun and light July 4th dishes we decided to make. We wanted a day of rest and relaxation, and since we were feeding only ourselves, we wanted simple! This totally fit the bill. We vegged on the couch with our Netflix addiction and made Summer Spaghetti Salad for lunch and Broccoli and Chickpea Salad for dinner. While we didn’t celebrate our country’s independence with fireworks, friends, and family, we did get to start the day working out with friends and ended it with a few cold beverages and yummy and nutritious food. That was perfect for me!

Back to the salad…while I like the salad on its own, I liked it best with the avocado spread, which I put on flatbread. Paul put his on pita bread, which is pictured above. Personally, I didn’t like that much bread.

The avocado spread was delish, but hummus would be fun to try. I appreciate dishes that are modifiable because it gives you leeway to adjust the recipe based on what you like, dislike, have in stock, are out of, etc. – USE IT IF YOU HAVE IT, LOSE IT IF YOU DON’T! If you love an ingredient, add a little extra. If you’re in the mood to mix it up, replace an ingredient or two.  My only recommendation would be to keep it “real.” Hopefully that’s the reason you’re on this blog in the first place – to fuel with real food!

About the dressing…we loved it! I’m sure we’ll make it often!

This Broccoli and Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dressing Is:

  • Real Food
  • Gluten-Free*
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan

*If eaten as a salad or with gluten-free pita bread, flat bread, or wraps.

KITCHEN GADGETS

  • Cutting board & Knife (for the veggies)
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • 2 Mixing bowls (salad & dressing)
  • 1 small bowl (to mash avocados)

IN OUR KITCHEN

  • BROCCOLI. The crunch is great, but let’s be honest, the health benefits are reason enough for us to eat broccoli every chance we get: anti-cancer properties, bone health, eye health, digestive health, detoxification, liver protection, slowed aging, regulates blood pressure, healthy brain function, improved metabolism, anti-inflammatory properties, protection against chronic disease, and so much more…
  • CHICKPEAS. We make and eat a lot of hummus, so we always have chickpeas in stock. Their nutritional benefits, including being a source of plant-based protein, on top of the versatility, make them a go-to for many vegetarians, vegans, and others who eat a similar diet.
  • RED ONION. We eat onions daily and never stress about which type/color. Reds are great for salads because of their mild flavor; I also like the color they add. They were finely chopped in this salad because we wanted them to blend nicely, which is why they’re hard to spot in the photo.
  • KALAMATA OLIVES. You could use black olives, but I always select Kalamata olives over black or green. (We won’t go into the many types of olives. I try to stick to accessible ingredients so anyone can make the recipes shared here.) I especially like the saltier bite of the Kalamata olive. 
  • SUN-DRIED TOMATOES. I used sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. As with anything in a can, jar, box, or bag, READ the ingredients; you want to know what else is in the jar with your tomatoes.
  • AVOCADOS. Yum…one of my favorite foods! Potassium galore, healthy fats, and a magical flavor. I love the nutritional benefits of avocados, especially their high potassium content and healthy fat profile, but in this dish, the flavor is key!!! The avocado spread took it from “good” to “great” on my scale.

LEMON SAUCE

  • AVOCADO OIL. You can use olive oil, but I’m a fan of the mild flavor of avocado oil.
  • LEMON JUICE. We use freshly squeezed lemon juice 99% of the time. It’s rare for us to be lemon-less, and it’s almost just as fast to squeeze them. If you use a bottle, check the ingredients; some bottles of juice may have unnecessary preservatives in them.
  • DIJON MUSTARD. If you don’t keep Dijon mustard in your fridge, it’s worth the purchase. It can be used in many simple dressings.
  • HONEY. I always recommend local – I believe it’s healthier for our bodies, and it supports local business.
  • PURE MAPLE. Honey and maple can often be used interchangeably. Both have nutritional benefits and in my opinion are equally as yummy. You will want to use pure maple if you’re eating a vegan diet or taking it somewhere where there could potentially be others eating a vegan diet. It’s always good to be considerate. 😉 I keep both and use both. We used honey in this recipe. (Note: the difference in texture can make a crucial difference sometimes. I’ve made that mistake.)
  • SALT. We always use pink salt.
  • MINCED GARLIC. I think garlic cloves will always taste a little better, and we usually have some in stock. However, just for the sake of making it as simple as possible, we used our back up squeeze minced organic garlic we keep on hand.

The recipe…

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Broccoli and Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dressing

  • Author: Misty Krug
  • Prep Time: 20 Minutes
  • Total Time: 20 Minutes
Print Recipe

Description

Super easy and can be enjoyed as a salad or in a pita or wrap! 

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch of broccoli florets, thinly sliced
  • 1 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, thinly sliced

LEMON DRESSING

  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons local honey or pure maple (for vegan version)
  • 1 garlic clove or  1/2 teaspoons of squeezed minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon pink salt

AVOCADO SPREAD

  • 2 Avocados, mashed
  • Pink salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, if desired

OTHER

  • Pitas, Flatbread, or Wraps (mindful of gluten-free)

Instructions

  1. Combine broccoli & chickpea mix (chickpeas, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives) in a bowl
  2. Combine lemon dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk with a fork
  3. Mash avocados and salt then aside to spread on the pita, flatbread, or wrap
  4. Assemble
  5. Enjoy!

Notes

NOTE: This salad is best after it marinates at least an hour.  However, it isn’t a must.

  • Category: Salad
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean (Real Food, Gluten-Free, Dairy Free, Vegetarian, Vegan)

Keywords: Broccoli and Chickpea Salad