Chickpea Salad

Still on a quest for a healthy accompaniment to ground beef, in this case sloppy joes.  After trying this salad, I would have to say it's a good side dish for practically anything.  Drop some boneless, skinless chicken in it and you have a meal.

I got out the garlic press for this one.  I don't do it often because it's such a pain to clean and usually involves getting out a pin to push out bits from the holes.  It is also very wasteful.  I got barely half of the garlic through the press.  The rest was a smashed mess that I ended up throwing out because I couldn't even mince it neatly.  And I don't think it even saved me any time.  From now on, I'll mince by hand.  Not sure why I'm even keeping the press.

1/2 C dry garbanzo beans or 1 15 oz can
2 C Italian parsley leaves, about half a bunch
*juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 C)
*1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
2 Tb olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1.  If using dry garbanzo beans, start soaking the night before.  Two hours before, drain water and refill pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for about 1-1/2 hours.  Drain.  If using canned, just drain and rinse.

2.  In a bowl, toss together beans and parsley leaves.  Separately, combine lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper into a dressing.  Pour over salad and toss to coat.  Chill.  Toss again before serving.

3.  If you feel it's a bit bland, add a bit of parmesan or feta cheese on top, or mix in something like diced tomatoes or mandarin oranges.  Feel free to play with the salad.

Difficulty rating  π