I shared this recipe on KOIN AM Extra and it was a hit! This salad is vegan, plant powered, gluten and dairy- free, and most importantly delicious! The chickpeas add crunch, fiber, and protein.  The cranberries add a pop of color, and the marinated artichokes combined with the dressing creates a savory balance without overwhelming the salad.  Sunflower seeds, a healthy fat, add texture and and really complement the crunchy chickpeas. This is the perfect salad for any time of the year! You can find the full recipe under the video.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 5 cups kale
  • 2 15-oz cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups of store bought crunchy chickpeas)
  • 1 cup of beets in vinaigrette, chopped. I purchased these at Trader Joe’s
  • 1 cup of chopped marinated artichokes
  • 1 cup of dried cranberries
  • ½ cup of sunflower seeds

TO MAKE THE DRESSING:

INGREDIENTS:

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons ice-cold water, more as needed

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. In a liquid measuring cup or jar, combine the olive oil, tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup, salt, and several twists of black pepper. Whisk until thoroughly blended.
  2. Add the cold water, and whisk again. The dressing should become remarkably creamy. Taste, and add more lemon juice (for zing) and pepper, if desired.
  3. If your dressing is too thick to drizzle, whisk in more cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Serve!
  4. This dressing will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 1 week. It may thicken with time; simply thin it with a little cool water as needed.

TO MAKE THE CHICKPEAS:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Toss your still wet chickpeas in the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. If they are dry, run them under a little water to get the spices to stick. Spread them out on a lined baking tray. You can use avocado oil spray as well.
  3. Bake chickpeas for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Toss the kale in the salad dressing first. Continue adding each ingredient (chickpeas last) and toss the kale in between. Serve and enjoy! This is a complete 1:1:1 Dish.