Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil

I've been trying quite a new recipes this month which has been fun. Recently, I saw this pin which was linked to Green Lite Bites for a recipe for Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil. I made it for dinner one night, and it was delicious.

Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil

that I made.

Despite the fact that there are only two main ingredients - the grape tomatoes and chickpeas - the dressing has a complex flavor and complements the key items well.

As a side note, chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans) are an excellent source of protein, fiber, folic acid, and manganese. They also are a good source of minerals including: zinc, copper, iron, and magnesium.

Tomatoes, which are often considered a vegetable, are actually a citrus fruit. It’s hard to believe that at one time they were considered toxic. It wasn’t until the mid-1800’s that tomatoes became a staple food in the United States.

Tomatoes have many antioxidant benefits. According to the World's Healthiest Foods, "In terms of conventional antioxidants, tomatoes provide an excellent amount of vitamin C and beta-carotene; a very good amount of the mineral manganese; and a good amount of vitamin E."

Here's how to make Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil:

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
About 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (I kept mine whole since I knew I would have leftover salad)
25 large basil leaves, chopped (I also added some dried basil as well)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (I used rice wine vinegar since I didn't have apple cider vinegar on hand)
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp honey
pinch of salt (I didn't include salt)

Directions:

Toss all ingredients together and chill for at least 20 minutes, allowing all the flavors to merge. Enjoy!