Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil

July 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment

chickpea and tomato salad with fresh basil

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are an excellent source of cheap protein.  Pair them with basil from your garden and sweet grape tomatoes when in-season, and you’ve got a frugal salad that’s also really healthy.  I found these tomatoes at my ALDI store for just $.79 this week (view more recently posted Grocery Bargains).  You could also easily add rotini to this to make it a pasta salad.

Frugal Tips:  To save money, buy dried chickpeas and soak overnight.  Beans can even be soaked and frozen for later.

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Chickpea and Tomato Salad
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3-4
 
A refreshing summer salad that’s rich in protein and packed with flavor
Ingredients
  • 1 carton of grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 25 basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Whisk together the vinegars, oils, honey and salt and pepper. Drizzle over the chickpeas, basil, and tomatoes. I put mine in a plastic container and give a good shake. Chill a few hours or overnight.

Thanks for the inspiration, Green Lite Bites!

Filed Under: Salads and Sides Tagged With: , , , , ,

Crock Pot Indian Food: Chana Masala

January 15, 2013 by 9 Comments

crock pot indian food chana masala

Ever since the new Indian restaurant opened down the street, I’ve been an Indian food junkie.  I wasn’t entirely new to Indian food; we’ve had it when traveling, but my experience was spotty at best.  Slowly, I’ve been working my way through the menu and hitting upon some favorites.  Among them, Chana Masala.  I recently made it at home in the crock pot and it’s super-easy.  Because the main protein in the dish is chickpeas, it’s also frugal –and healthy, too.  Definitely a win-win!

Frugal Tips:  Indian spices are not always cheap, but they’re necessary for authentic flavors in Indian cookery.  Think of them as an investment in frugal cooking.  Over time, the money you save cooking Indian food at home (which is pretty frugal) will more than make up for the initial financial outlay.

3.0 from 1 reviews

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Crock Pot Indian Food: Chana Masala
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • 4 C. water
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 6-oz. can tomato paste
  • ⅓ C. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 tsp. garam masala
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. cayenne pepper (more if you like more of a kick)
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 tsp. turmeric
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 2 cans chickpeas, drained
Instructions
  1. Combine everything except the chickpeas in a crock pot and turn on low for 6-8 hours. Add chickpeas, and cook 2 more hours until they’re tender and have incorporated the Indian flavors. Serve over Basmati rice.

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Filed Under: Crock Pot Recipes Tagged With: , , ,