Adding Fiber and Protein to Salads Never Tasted So Fresh and Zesty

By Jenny Sugar

As a vegetarian, I live, breathe, and sleep protein-packed legumes. So it's a no-brainer to throw them into just about every meal — even my bowl of morning oatmeal or desserts like chocolate frosted doughnuts. And you'll never catch me eating a green salad without beans on top, but plain old chickpeas can taste pretty bland.

POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

This recipe takes your salads to a whole new zesty and fresh-tasting level. In under 10 minutes, you can have chickpeas marinating in lemony-ginger goodness, with each 170-calorie serving offering 4.3 grams of fiber and 5.3 grams of protein. These soft, yellow gems offer so much bold flavor, you won't even need to add salad dressing. And we know that every calorie you can shave off your meals really adds up.

This recipe calls for marinating the chickpeas in one big batch, but you can also divide the beans into the bottoms of mason jars to use for you week of salads. Here's to never eating another boring salad again!

Lemon Ginger Marinated Chickpeas

Cook Time10 minutes
Yield5 to 6 servings
Calories173 (if divided into 5 servings)

From Jenny Sugar, POPSUGAR

INGREDIENTS

    • 2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained (about 3 1/2 cups)
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 lemons, juiced (about 4 tablespoons)
    • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Add all the ingredients to a glass container.

    2. Mix together well, cover, and place in the fridge for at least four hours (overnight is best).

    3. When you're ready to eat, give the chickpeas a good stir and enjoy.