Israeli Vegetable Salad

Dear Friends and Family,

 

This Israel Vegetable Salad is the perfect way to provide a nourishing snack for hungry, wet kids (and adults) and is so easy to assemble and serve -- especially if you use canned beans. It comes via Ina Garten BUT I have made one major modification that makes it balanced in Omega-3s and Omega-6s: I left out the Tahini.

 

Tahini, or sesame paste, is delicious, but it is so high in Omega-6s, there is no way you can balance those out in a recipe. (Well, maybe, but only by adding lots of flax meal or flax seed oil). A simpler way to make a high Omega-3 hummus is to leave the Tahini out. I don't think you're going to miss it one little bit, especially in this spectacular summer salad. 

 

 

Enjoy and happy summer. 

Susie

 

 

 

 

 

 

I

ngredients: 

 

 

 

1 (1 pound 13-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained or 13-15 ounces of freshly-prepared, drained chickpeas

 

 

 

 

 

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons), divided 

3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves) 

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha (or other hot sauce, to taste)

2/3 cup good quality canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1 large cucumber, unpeeled, halved, seeded, and 1/2-inch diced 

2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered 

1 cup (1/2-inch-diced) Holland red bell pepper (1 large) 

3/4 cup (1/4-inch-diced) red onion 

1/2 cup julienned fresh mint leaves, for garnish 

Toasted pita bread, for serving 

For the hummus, place the chickpeas, 3/4 cup of the lemon juice, the garlic, cumin, Sriracha, 1/3 cup canola oil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until the mixture is completely smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add a few tablespoons of warm water until it is creamy but still thick and spreadable.

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, and red onion. Add 1/3 cup canola, the remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper and combine.

Spoon the hummus onto a large (12-by-16-inch) serving platter, spreading it out with a raised edge. With a slotted spoon, mound the vegetable salad on the hummus, leaving the edges of the hummus visible. Sprinkle the vegetables and hummus with the mint and extra salt. Drizzle with olive oil and serve at room temperature with pita bread.