I’ve been on the hunt for new salads to pack for lunch. I really enjoy those that have beans as a main ingredient- I just find them so satisfyingly filling, high in flavour and full of healthy benefits. This salad was inspired by a recipe out of Once Upon a Tart by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau who own a SoHo cafe with a great menu.

It is a cookbook I truly enjoy.  I have reworked the recipe to my taste and proportions. Here is my version:

Ceci Bean, Carrot and Olive Salad

• 2 cups cooked Ceci Beans (also known as chickpeas or garbanzo beans)
• 5 medium carrots, scraped and roughly shredded
• 1 cup of pitted olives (black Greek oil cured, Kalamata or even green Picholine)
• 1/4 cup finely minced celery
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 green onion minced, green part included
• 1/2 cup minced cilantro, leaves only
• 1 small garlic clove minced to a paste with a little lemon salt
• zest from one small lemon
• juice from 2 small lemons
• 4 Tablespoons EV olive oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 Tablespoon freshly ground cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix the Ceci beans, carrots, olives, celery, cilantro, shallot and green onion in a medium mixing bowl. Make a vinaigrette out  of the remaining ingredients adding the oil in bit by bit to emulsify. Pour over and stir to combine. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

xo