Pesto Chickpea and Vegetables

It's the last of the green onion pesto!!!  That took a full year to use.  I promise not to do that to myself again.

I took this idea from Spain On A Fork and ran with it.  To simplify matters, we're calling this pesto out of a jar.  It was a fast, summery meal that was easy to put together before work and let marinate in the fridge until dinner time.  It would also make a nice lunch salad.  You can serve it warm, but I was in the mood for a cold dinner.  Don't warm it much above room temperature, or the cheese in the pesto will melt and get stringy.

*1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
1 lb Roma tomatoes
*8oz frozen artichoke hearts or quarters, thawed
1/2 red onion
1 C kalamata olives (about half a jar)
*1 C pesto
Feta, pine nuts, fresh basil, or other garnishes to finish

1.  Rinse the chickpeas and place in a large bowl.  Make sure the artichoke pieces are bite-sized and add them to the bowl.

2.  Slice the tomatoes into wedges or large chunks.  I wanted all the components to be a different size and shape in this salad.  You can cut them however large or small you like.  Add to the bowl.

3.  Peel and wash the onion half.  Slice stem to root ends and slice.  I did French cut, but anything smaller than a full ring is fine.  Add that and the drained olives to the bowl.

4.  Toss the salad.  Add the pesto and toss again until everything is coated evenly.  Serve immediately for room temperature, or chill for later.  Garnish with feta, nuts, herbs, or even more olives.

Difficulty rating  π