Twirly Carrot Salad with Crispy Chickpeas & Rice
This lemony, mustardy salad is one of my favorite spring dinners to use to transition into warmer weather and lighter meals. It has all the makings of a full meal, with chickpeas for protein and rice for carbs, and the salad comes together in one bowl. It's quick, easy and nourishing, and exactly what I want to make as we emerge from the cold winter into sunnier days.
Equipment
- 1 rice cooker
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup wild rice uncooked
- 1 15 oz. can of chickpeas or any bean of choice, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 3 tbsp lemon juice the juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp lemon zest the zest of 1/2 lemon
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 medium handful fresh parsley finely chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 15 oz. bag of carrots
- 2 tbsp toasted walnut halves finely chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the rice according to package instructions. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Rinse and dry the chickpeas. Transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to coat, and move to the oven to roast for 24-26 minutes or until slightly crisp.
- While the chickpeas are cooking, get out a large bowl.
- Add the mustard, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, honey and parsley to the bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil and stir to create a dressing. Season with salt, taste and adjust with more lemon juice, salt and olive oil as needed.
- Using a peeler, peel the carrots directly into the bowl, making long strips. Toss the carrots until they are well-coated with the dressing.
- When the rice and chickpeas are finished, serve them on the bottom of a bowl, and pile the carrots on top. Garnish with chopped toasted walnuts and eat immediately.