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This week, I made the Mediterranean Chopped Salad for dinner, which was absolutely delicious and incredibly easy. Regarding the time and practicality of this recipe, I could prep all the vegetables and the dressing the night before so they would all be ready to throw together when I got home. The author of this recipe emphasizes how it is a recipe that can be prepared one to two days in advance, which makes it an incredibly appealing recipe to add to my final cookbook.

In exploring different types of protein, this recipe incorporates chickpeas. I had never tried chickpeas before, but I knew them to be a staple protein for the Mediterranean diet. I prepped them by rinsing them to eliminate a lot of their sodium content, and then I roasted them in the air fryer with olive oil to crisp them up and add a good crunch to my salad. After ten minutes at 400 degrees F, they added the perfect texture. I ended up guessing how long to cook them and at what temperature, but I liked how they turned out and would do this the next time I make a recipe that calls for them. I typically love croutons in my salad, but chickpeas were a great replacement with good nutritional value.

It was great to have fresh, healthy ingredients when I got home. The dressing was the perfect complement to the ingredients. Next time I make it, I want to try making it right before mixing the salad to see if there is much difference.

We finished the salad the same night I made it, so I did not see how it may do as a meal prep dish. While prepping the different parts was excellent, I am unsure how it would last overnight or a few nights. I would have the ingredients mixed with the dressing beside it to pour over, so I hope it would not be too soggy or shapeless.

As far as ingredients and cost, we had almost all the ingredients already, so all I had to purchase was the chickpeas. I know this could add up with the price of produce and vegetables, but luckily, this recipe is very flexible in the size and portions I can make.

I thoroughly enjoyed this dinner, and it was a great first recipe to kick off my project. Next week, I will make the eggplant “steak,” and may even make a smaller version of this salad to go with it. I discovered a new alternative protein through this recipe that I may not have tried otherwise, as chickpeas were not a factor in my diet. I will be exploring new ways to incorporate them into my everyday life, even as a crispy snack to break up the afternoon after discovering how good they are in the air fryer.