Name: Carrot Ginger Chickpea Salad
Ingredients: Canned Chickpeas: Two 15-ounce cans, rinsed, drained, and patted dry. These form the protein-rich, hearty foundation of our salad.; Carrots: 3 cups of finely grated carrots (about 4-5 large carrots). They provide a natural sweetness, vibrant color, and a wonderfully tender crunch.; Red Onion: ½ a medium red onion, very finely diced. This adds a sharp, savory bite that cuts through the creaminess of the dressing.; Celery: 2 celery stalks, finely chopped. For that essential, irreplaceable fresh and watery crunch that brightens the entire dish.; Fresh Cilantro: ½ cup of loosely packed, chopped fresh cilantro. Its unique, bright, and slightly citrusy flavor pairs beautifully with the ginger and carrot. If you’re not a fan, fresh parsley is a great alternative.; Tahini: ½ cup of good-quality, runny tahini. This sesame paste is our secret weapon for a creamy, luscious dressing without any mayonnaise.; Fresh Ginger: A 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated. This is the star of the show, delivering a warm, spicy, and zesty kick.; Lemon Juice: ¼ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1-2 lemons). Its acidity is crucial for brightening all the flavors and balancing the richness of the tahini.; Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. It adds a smooth, velvety texture and a touch of fruity, peppery flavor to the dressing.; Maple Syrup: 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup. A touch of sweetness is needed to balance the sharp ginger and tart lemon juice, creating a perfectly harmonious flavor profile.; Garlic: 1 large clove of garlic, minced or pressed. It adds a layer of savory depth and pungency that complements the ginger.; Cold Water: 3-5 tablespoons of cold water. This is used to thin the dressing to your desired consistency, making it perfectly pourable.; Sea Salt & Black Pepper: ½ teaspoon of sea salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, or more to taste. Essential for enhancing all the other flavors.

Ingredients

For the Salad:

Canned Chickpeas: Two 15-ounce cans, rinsed, drained, and patted dry. These form the protein-rich, hearty foundation of our salad.
Carrots: 3 cups of finely grated carrots (about 4-5 large carrots). They provide a natural sweetness, vibrant color, and a wonderfully tender crunch.
Red Onion: ½ a medium red onion, very finely diced. This adds a sharp, savory bite that cuts through the creaminess of the dressing.
Celery: 2 celery stalks, finely chopped. For that essential, irreplaceable fresh and watery crunch that brightens the entire dish.
Fresh Cilantro: ½ cup of loosely packed, chopped fresh cilantro. Its unique, bright, and slightly citrusy flavor pairs beautifully with the ginger and carrot. If you’re not a fan, fresh parsley is a great alternative.

For the Zesty Ginger Tahini Dressing:

Tahini: ½ cup of good-quality, runny tahini. This sesame paste is our secret weapon for a creamy, luscious dressing without any mayonnaise.
Fresh Ginger: A 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated. This is the star of the show, delivering a warm, spicy, and zesty kick.
Lemon Juice: ¼ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1-2 lemons). Its acidity is crucial for brightening all the flavors and balancing the richness of the tahini.
Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. It adds a smooth, velvety texture and a touch of fruity, peppery flavor to the dressing.
Maple Syrup: 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup. A touch of sweetness is needed to balance the sharp ginger and tart lemon juice, creating a perfectly harmonious flavor profile.
Garlic: 1 large clove of garlic, minced or pressed. It adds a layer of savory depth and pungency that complements the ginger.
Cold Water: 3-5 tablespoons of cold water. This is used to thin the dressing to your desired consistency, making it perfectly pourable.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper: ½ teaspoon of sea salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper, or more to taste. Essential for enhancing all the other flavors.

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Instructions

Prepare the Dressing: In a medium-sized bowl or a liquid measuring cup, combine the runny tahini, freshly grated ginger, freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, and minced garlic. Use a whisk to mix these ingredients together. At first, the tahini may seize up and become very thick – this is normal! Keep whisking vigorously.
Thin the Dressing: Gradually add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, while continuing to whisk. You will see the dressing transform from a thick paste into a smooth, creamy, and pourable consistency. Continue adding water until you reach your desired thinness. A slightly thick but pourable dressing works best to coat the salad ingredients without making them soggy.
Season the Dressing: Once the dressing has reached the perfect consistency, whisk in the sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Give it a final taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. You might want a little more salt to make the flavors pop, more lemon for tartness, or a touch more maple syrup for sweetness. Set the finished dressing aside.
Prepare the Salad Base: In a large mixing bowl, add the two cans of rinsed and drained chickpeas. Take a potato masher or the back of a large fork and gently mash about one-third of the chickpeas. This step is key: it releases the starches in the chickpeas, creating a wonderfully creamy texture that helps bind the salad together. Leave the rest of the chickpeas whole for texture and bite.
Combine the Salad Ingredients: To the bowl with the mashed and whole chickpeas, add the 3 cups of finely grated carrots, the finely diced red onion, the chopped celery, and the chopped fresh cilantro. Use a spatula or large spoon to toss these ingredients together until they are evenly distributed.
Dress and Mix: Pour the prepared Zesty Ginger Tahini Dressing over the carrot and chickpea mixture in the large bowl. Use your spatula to gently fold and mix everything together. Be thorough, ensuring every single chickpea and shred of carrot is coated in the delicious dressing.
Chill and Marinate: This is a crucial step for the best flavor. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes, but ideally for an hour. This resting time allows the flavors to meld and deepen, the ginger to infuse the salad, and the carrots to soften slightly.
Final Toss and Serve: After chilling, give the salad one final toss to redistribute the dressing. Taste it one last time and make any final adjustments to salt or pepper. Serve chilled and enjoy the vibrant, refreshing flavors.

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 315
Fat: 16g
Fiber: 9g
Protein: 10g