A SUMMER LUNCH: THAI CHICKPEA SALAD WITH LEMON CHIA SEED MUFFINS

I love making double batches of healthy recipes before a long stretch of work so I am not tempted to eat junk food when I come home late from the hospital. I found this interesting take on a chickpea salad from a wonderful blog entitled Oh She Glows. I made a few alterations, but I love the exotic seasonings and spices that give this salad an extra kick.

The first step is to coat two cans of rinsed and dried chickpeas with turmeric, ginger, and chili powder with some olive oil and fresh garlic.  

I spread the chickpeas on a cookie sheet with parchment paper and baked for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

I then chopped up two fresh cucumbers, two fresh red peppers, and a purple onion. The recipe calls for fresh cilantro, which I did not have, so I substituted with dried cilantro and added some fresh sea salt. I have learned the hard way about putting dressing on a salad and it turning to mush. I scooped out a single serving and added olive oil, vinegar, and a little sprinkle of feta cheese and then sprinkled the chickpeas on the top.

I love lemon baked goods in the summer and lemon poppy seeds muffins are my absolute favorite! I was working with chia seeds a few weeks ago and thought to myself that they would make a lovely alternative to poppy seeds. I also incorporated local honey to accent the lemon and help with these allergy attacks I have been having this summer!

The ingredients include: 1.5 cups whole wheat white flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup local honey, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, 0.5 teaspoons baking soda, pinch of salt, 3 tablespoons butter, 0.75 cups of plain greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon lemon extract, 1.5 teaspoons dried orange peel, two eggs, 3 tablespoons of chia seeds.

Mix dry ingredients first then slowly incorporate the wet ingredients. Batter should be thick in texture. Test and add more lemon extract as needed.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden on outside. The chia seeds do absorb moisture, so I would recommend freezing and eating one at a time.

Enjoy with a nice glass of iced tea!