Chinese Chickpea Salad

SERVES 4 TO 6

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes

1 tablespoon sesame oil

3 cups cooked chickpeas (or two 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained)

3 tablespoons gluten-free tamari (use coconut aminos to be soy-free)

4 cups shredded napa cabbage (about 1 small head)

1 cup shredded red cabbage

1 cup grated carrots (3 or 4 large carrots)

1 cup toasted sliced almonds

½ cup sliced green onions (green and white parts)

One 10-ounce can mandarin oranges (preferably packed in juice, not syrup), rinsed and drained

One 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed, drained, and cut in half

Crispy rice crackers, crumbled

miso ginger dressing

½ cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon white soy miso (or chickpea miso)

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

Steps:

1. Heat the sesame oil in a large shallow saucepan over medium heat. Add the chickpeas and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the tamari and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has been absorbed. Set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.

2. To make the dressing : Stir together all the ingredients in a cup or small bowl.

3. Combine the napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, almonds, green onions, mandarin oranges, and water chestnuts in a large bowl. Add the chickpeas and dressing and toss until fully combined. Serve immediately, topped with crumbled rice crackers.

TIP

You can prep this ahead of time by preparing the chickpeas, the salad (without the almonds), and the dressing and storing them separately. Combine the three elements, plus the almonds, just before serving.