Mediterranean Carrot and Chickpea Salad

🥕 MEDITERRANEAN CARROT & CHICKPEA SALAD

💛 QUESTION OF THE DAY:

What’s one ingredient you’ve accidentally bought too much of and then had to get creative using?

For some reason, I managed to overbuy carrots during the past couple of weeks.

Every time I opened the refrigerator, there they were… another bag of carrots waiting to be used.

I suppose we’ve all done that from time to time.

Rather than letting good food go to waste, I decided to make this a “Carrot Week” in my kitchen and create a few new recipes centered around one simple ingredient.

I’ve never been one to let food go bad if I can help it.

Sometimes the best recipes come from looking at what we already have and asking, “What can I make with this?”

That’s exactly how this Mediterranean Carrot & Chickpea Salad came to be.

Sweet shredded carrots, hearty chickpeas, crisp cucumber, fresh parsley, creamy feta, and a bright lemon herb dressing come together for a salad that’s colorful, satisfying, and full of fresh Mediterranean flavor.

It’s delicious as a light lunch, a side dish, or paired with grilled chicken for an easy supper.

Sometimes a simple bag of carrots is all the inspiration we need.

🥕 Mediterranean Carrot & Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

• 4 cups shredded carrots (about 5–6 large carrots)

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 English cucumber, diced

• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint (optional)

• ¼ cup toasted walnuts or sliced almonds (optional)

Lemon Herb Dressing

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon honey

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• Pinch of sea salt (optional)

Directions

Combine the carrots, chickpeas, cucumber, parsley, mint, and walnuts in a large bowl.

Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until smooth. Pour over the salad and toss gently to coat.

Fold in the feta cheese and refrigerate for about 20 minutes before serving.

🌿 Rosemary Thyme Tips

• Add grilled lemon herb chicken for a complete meal.

• Serve over baby spinach for extra greens.

• Stir in cooked brown rice or quinoa to make it even more filling.

• It tastes even better after a few hours in the refrigerator.

Thank you for spending a little time in my farmhouse kitchen today. I hope this recipe inspires you to look through your own refrigerator and turn something simple into something delicious.

Have a peaceful and blessed day.

💛 Helene

🌿 Rosemary Thyme

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🌿 Images in this post were created or enhanced with AI assistance.