Mmmmmm mmmm mmmm!! I am not sure I would have ever thought a bean salad would be good until I tried it at a family get together!! I made a few adjustments, since they absolutly use a lot more olive oil than my liking. Don’t get me wrong, a little Extra Olive Oil isn’t terrible in small amounts, but I don’t like to drench my food in oil or see oil curdled around the beans when it is cold in the fridge, I just like to add it for a little taste. You could even do without oil, if you wanted to add smashed avocado instead… It would change the color and taste slightly, but it would be oil free then.
Garbanzo beans are so healthy, full of fiber, no fat, low calories, a great plant based protein, and they have essential vitamins & minerals our body can use. They are flavorful and I love using them in Italian recipes, when I make a pasta dish, on top of my salads, and of course, blended into a hummus!
The shallots in this recipe don’t overpower the taste too much and when they marinate in the vinegar for a little bit, they aren’t as potent as when they are totally raw. Shallots are from the onion and garlic family, if you haven’t used them for cooking, I suggest you check them out. They’re flavorful, boast some antioxidant action- which is good for fighting free radicals, and they have a nice light purple color on the inside.
This recipe is great for a side dish to accompany a meal, a snack to have in the fridge for when you’re hungry, or a great dish to bring to a party where humans can serve themselves. I almost always have this salad prepped and ready to eat in my fridge so I don’t go looking for chips when I want a filling and healthy snack. When you have snacks and dishes already prepared, you won’t reach for unhealthy options. I actually try to not even keep unhealthy options around, just for that reason.
As much as I would like to tell you to soak and cook your own beans, I can’t, because I don’t always do it myself and I understand wanting to learn new healthy recipes that don’t have too much prep involved. If you decided to not let this marinate overnight, you can make this in about 10 minutes and eat right away or let it sit overnight to marinate in the flavors. Of course, if you can, make your own beans, everything cooked at home with your own hands and care is ALWAYS better. When you are buying canned beans or anything canned, look for cans that say “BPA free lining.” We are exposed to so many toxins through packaging, the air we breath, and even the water we drink. We can’t stay in our house and hide all day, but we can sure try to make conscious adjustments with how and what we shop for. It’s all about bringing more Awareness to our health and lives.
I hope you make this and love it. Take photos and tag me @thesuperfoodgoddess on Instagram, so I can see your beautiful creations! As always, please enjoy!
Ingredients:
– 2 Cans Garbanzos
– 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
– 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
– 1/4 Cup Fresh Italian Parsley (curly parsley is okay too)
– 1 teaspoon Salt
– 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
– 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
– 1 small Shallot
***Optional: you could add 1/3 cup of bell pepper or tomato or avocado to spruce it up, but try making it this way first and then experiment more later.
Method:
-Drain the Garbanzo beans and place them in a bowl.
-Chop the shallot and parsley and add to the bowl.
-Add the vinegar, oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
-If you feel it needs some more seasoning you can add it now or if you’re letting it sit overnight, taste it the next day and see if it needs more seasoning then.
-Serve and ENJOY!
