Chickpea and pitta salad

Method
Prep:25min  ›  Cook:10min  ›  Ready in:35min 

1. Preheat the grill to high. Split the pitta breads in half and open with a sharp knife. Toast under the grill until golden brown and crisp, turning once, then leave to cool. Tear into bite-sized pieces.
2. Put the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions and olives in a serving bowl. For the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, tapenade, mint and pepper to taste. Drizzle over the vegetables and toss.
3. Just before serving, add the pieces of pitta bread and mix well. Serve garnished with sprigs of fresh mint.

Some more ideas

Instead of toasted pitta bread, try polenta croutons. Bring 750 ml (1¼ pints) vegetable stock to the boil and add 170 g (6 oz) instant polenta, stirring. Cook for 4–5 minutes, or according to packet instructions, until the mixture is thick and pulling away from the sides of the pan. Stir in 15 g (½ oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, and season to taste. Quickly spread the polenta in a greased 18 x 28 cm (7 x 11 in) shallow tin and leave to cool for about 30 minutes or until set. Then turn out and cut into 1 cm (½ in) cubes. Spread out the croutons on foil in a grill pan and toast under a preheated moderate grill for 5–8 minutes, turning several times. Add most of the croutons to the salad and toss. Scatter over the remaining few croutons and serve. * Make a chickpea and aubergine salad. Cut a 340 g (12 oz) aubergine into 1 cm (½ in) cubes and fry in 2 tbsp olive oil for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp cumin seeds and continue to cook until the aubergine is lightly browned and tender. Tip into a bowl and mix with 2 cans chickpeas, about 410 g each, drained and rinsed, 1 thinly sliced red onion, 170 g (6 oz) baby spinach leaves and 1 seeded and thinly sliced yellow pepper. For the dressing, whisk together 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander and pepper to taste.

Plus points

Although olives have a relatively high fat content, it is mainly unsaturated fat, which is considered to be the healthiest kind of fat to include in the diet. * Chickpeas are an excellent choice for people with diabetes because of their very low Glycaemic Index.

Each serving provides

Excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin E. Good source of copper, iron, niacin, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B1, zinc. Useful source of calcium, folate, vitamin B6.