By: Jodie Shield, RD

So now you know beans – they’re good for your family and they taste good too.  My next couple of blogs will feature some kid-friendly family bean recipes.  First on the menu is . . . a tasty chick peas salad.  It works well as a side dish or pureed as a spread.  Let me know: Which way will you offer it to your family?

Chickpea Salad

makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked  chickpeas (canned works too!)

3 tablespoons diced, sweet green pepper

2 tablespoons peeled, seeded and diced cucumber

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup diced tomato

3 tablespoons snipped fresh dill, or 1/4 teaspoon dried dill

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium-size bowl, combine all ingredients.  Refrigerate for several hours to allow flavors to blend.  Serve the salad on romaine lettuce leaves or inside whole wheat pita bread pockets. For younger children try pureeing the whole salad in a food processor to make a chickpea spread.

70 calories, 8 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g protein, 3 g fat, .5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g dietary fiber, 8 mg sodium