Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich Recipe

Hey Fabbies! One of my absolute favorite things to eat in life are sandwiches. This has always been the case, even before going Vegan years ago. I love a good vegan grilled cheese sandwich, a portobello mushroom burger (but on sandwich bread, so it’s more like a mushroom sandwich), peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and just about anything else you can stick between two pieces of multi-grain or spelt bread. A few months ago, I began cooking with chickpeas (OMG where have they been all my life?!), and have learned that they are one of those versatile foods that you can combine with literally ANYTHING and make it taste good. So after making everything from desserts, to meals, to snacks, chickpeas have become a staple in my pantry, because they are not only full of nutrients, but they also are inexpensive (one organic can of chickpeas is only 99 cents,) and are great go-to options for easy recipes.

If you are not familiar with chickpeas, they are a part of the legume family. Chickpeas are also often referred to as garbanzo beans. According to http://www.draxe.com, chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber, iron, zinc, phosphorus, B Vitamins and more. And Not only that, “the high amount of fiber in garbanzo beans is responsible for its filling effect and helps to improve digestion. But this fiber also aids in heart health, helps to control blood sugar levels, guards against cancer, heart disease, diverticulosis, kidney stones, PMS, obesity, and more.”

The fact that chickpeas are nutrient dense, super inexpensive, and versatile to cook with, make them absolute staples in my house. And I actually love how flavorful you can make them! So let’s get down to the recipe! I literally make the chickpea salad sandwich on a weekly basis. Not even kidding. It’s simple to make, filling, and just tastes so damn good!

You will need:

• 2 cans of organic garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
• 1/2 cup of vegan mayonnaise (I use Just Mayo)
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1/2 bunch of green onion (optional)
• 1 organic red apple
• 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• half of a cucumber, chopped
• organic walnuts (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon of Agave (similar to maple syrup, but better for you.)
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Smoked Paprika to taste
• Onion Powder to taste
• Large mixing bowl

You can honestly add your favorite fresh veggies and/or fruit to this dish as well. Again, chickpeas have sort of a neutral taste as is, so they can be manipulated to taste however you want, depending on what you add to them!

Once you have all of your ingredients picked out, you then simply add everything to the bowl, and stir!

After everything is mixed together (and please do taste the mixture as you go!), then it is ready to eat! Refrigerate after use. You can eat it as is, or put it on your favorite whole grain bread and eat it on a sandwich! (And PLEASE refrain from eating white bread! It has zero nutritional value and is so bad for you. I typically eat Ancient Grain Bread by Alpine Valley. It’s a local brand based here in Arizona.)

Anyway, add your finishing touches to the sandwich like sliced tomatoes and kale, and ENJOY! (And it can get a little sloppy, so keep a spoon nearby if you have to scoop up what the yummy filling!)

 

 

The chickpea salad sandwich has been my go-to lunch item at home for months now. My kids and husband love it as well, although Vito likes for me to warm it up for him sometimes. But we otherwise eat it cold. This is a nice and easy dish to add to your weekly menu, and is definitely budget friendly! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Have a fabulous week!

xoxo