Spinach, Avocado, Tomato and Seasoned Chickpea Salad – Recipe!

It’s still summertime, so enjoy all the wonderful fresh produce while it lasts.  This Spinach, Avocado, Tomato and Seasoned Chickpea Salad is creamy, sweet and crunchy all laid out on one platter — ripe for enjoyment.

I’m into salads, especially those that are made with clean ingredients.  The combination of fresh summer produce like red ripe tomatoes, perfect avocados and baby spinach make a salad so delicious, and when you top it with chickpea that have a dusting of smoked paprika, salt and pepper — it’s that much better.

I whisked together a light lemony vinaigrette to serve alongside, because I wanted each person to judge how much they wanted to drizzle over their own salad.  When a salad is this fresh, you only need a little dressing to help highlight the taste — celebrate summer while you can.

Ingredients

5 cups baby spinach leaves

3 ripe avocados

5 medium tomatoes

14 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Vinaigrette

juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon brown mustard

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

pinch of salt and pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

(Serves 4-6)

To Prepare:

1. On a large platter, add spinach.  Slice avocado in half and then in slices, remove from skin with a spoon.  Lay on top of spinach pressing gently to separate slices.
2. Slice tomatoes, scatter around salad.  Add chickpeas to a bowl, add smoked paprika, salt and pepper, mix with spoon.
3. Sprinkle chickpeas over salad.  In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper.  While whisking, add olive oil until emulsified or slightly thickened.
4. Serve Vinaigrette alongside salad.  Enjoy!