it's all greek to me

This weekend is Thanksgiving here in Canada.  The annual yummy-yummy-turkey day.  But this year things are a little different at my place.  Mom is going on a weekend retreat so the duties of planning & executing an entire meal are going to me.  Yikes!  I've also been testing a new muffin recipe, which has been a tasty source of frustration.  Needless to say I haven't been making anything too involved to eat this week.  The good news is, you don't have to spend a lot of time and effort on something to make it taste good.

This recipe is my take on a mediterranean salad.  It has chickpeas in it which are a good source of fiber & protein, so it's surprisingly filling.  Here's how you do it...

• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed & drained
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 mini cucumber, skin on, diced (or 3 oz regular cucumber)
• 5 dates, sliced
• 1 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 6 jumbo black olives, sliced
• 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Greek seasoning

First make your dressing.  Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar & Greek seasoning until it all comes together.  Allow it to sit while you make the rest of the salad.

Combine all the ingredients in a big mixing bowl.  As a tip, I always use a digital scale to measure out the right amount of cheese in my dishes.  It's easy to over-estimate what a serving size is, so using a scale helps keep it in check.

Once all your ingredients are in the bowl give them a good toss up with your hands.  Toss in the vinaigrette and mix thoroughly.  You can refrigerate it for an hour or so if you're making it ahead of time, it will be just as good.  If not, serve it into bowls & enjoy!