Another Use for Vinaigrette

The other night dinner was to be a rotisserie chicken. Easy, relatively inexpensive and boring as can be. I had originally thought to serve it with a deconstructed hummus salad I'd seen on another food blog, but when I visualized a mound of beige chickpeas on the plate with beige chicken, I thought better of that dish. Instead, I used the already opened cans of chickpeas as the basis for an updated three bean salad. I immediately looked to an already started red onion for a touch of color and flavor. I added some green beans cut into inch long pieces, and some halved grape tomatoes. If I had some frozen, shelled edamame, I would have thawed a couple of handfuls and added them too. For the vinaigrette, I stuck with the flavors of hummus: lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. Although I'm giving you some amounts in the recipe below, this vinaigrette is one that is best done by taste - add more lemon juice if it seems to heavy on the olive oil, or vice versa. I let it marinate about an hour so I did have to plan ahead, but once dinner time rolled around, there was nothing left to do but eat.

Right now, the better part of the lower levels of my house are covered in plastic sheeting and drop cloths. Drywall! It's likely to be a mess all week with the worst dust on Thursday and Friday. I'll have to be flexible about meals this week as I suspect many of them will be out.



Chickpea Salad


(serves 6 as a side dish)

2 cans salt free chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/4 - 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into one inch pieces

handful or two grape tomatoes, halved or even quartered if large

1/4 cup roughly diced red onion, or more to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

juice of 1 medium lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil, more to taste if needed

kosher salt and pepper to taste

Place first five ingredients into a medium bowl. Gently mix. Sprinkle lemon juice over top and gently toss. Pour olive oil over top of ingredients, then sprinkle kosher salt and pepper. Gently toss once more. Let sit about an hour. Toss before serving. If you have some fresh herbs around, a couple of teaspoons of chopped parsley or thyme would be a great garnish.