Having salad for dinner may sound boring, but it doesn’t have to be.
It’s easy to toss together a delicious (and nutritious!) salad that goes way beyond the lettuce-tomato-cucumber routine that becomes all too tiresome all too quickly.
For our anything-but-boring salad, we started with the base. Hold the romaine and iceberg, we wanted something with a bit more interest. Not wanting to give up on greens altogether, we opted for a mixture of arugula and Swiss chard. Together, they make for a fantastic combination of peppery and colorful leafy greens.
To go on the greens, we needed something zippy. Something with pizazz. Stone fruit packs a punch of flavor and brightness. We used nectarines, but plums or peaches would work just as well.
Rounding out the salad, we added thinly sliced cucumber and celery for crispness. We really didn’t want to go the crouton route, but we still wanted some crunch. Nuts are another option, but we went with roasted chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans). They pack a whole lot of fiber and protein and are easy to throw together. You just coat them in olive oil, add some seasonings, and toss them in the oven.
To add just a little bit more oomph to your salad, top the whole thing off with one of the protein suggestions. Whichever you choose, you’ve got a flavor-packed salad that’ll keep you from getting bored.
CHICKPEA AND NECTARINE SALAD
Start to finish: 45 minutes
Makes 4 entree-size salads
Two 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried with paper towels
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon curry powder, Old Bay or Cajun seasoning blend
Salt and ground black pepper
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
5-ounce package baby arugula
1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 nectarines, pitted and thinly sliced
Protein suggestions:
Soft-boiled or poached eggs
Sliced cooked chicken breast
Cooked shrimp
Lightly seared and thinly sliced steak
Marinated tofu or seitan
Feta or halloumi (Greek grilling) cheese
Nutrition information per serving: 470 calories; 170 calories from fat (36 percent of total calories); 19 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 63 g carbohydrate; 13 g fiber; 19 g sugar; 15 g protein; 380 mg sodium.
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