Chickpea salad in Italian dressing

I am always on the lookout for easy and healthy recipes that would be ideal for the children to have when they return from school. This is because we are out at work and I have to prepare something nice in the morning itself and keep it with my friendly and kind neighbour, M Aunty. A healthy salad/fruit juice or smoothie is ideal as it remains fresh, provides essential nutrients and at the same time is not heavy on the stomach. As my son is now more open to different tastes than earlier I googled for simple Italian dresssings for the Kabuli Chana I had. They have got tired of the chaat masala dressing and since both of them love the flavors of oregano and olive oil I felt the recipe I found here would be most suited to the salad I had in mind. It is an easy Italian Vinaigrette recipe but without vinegar.

Recipe: Chickpeas salad

Ingredients

3 Cups – Kabuli chana/Chickpeas – Soaked and cooked with a little salt till soft
1/2 Cup Chopped Cucumber
1 Small Tomato Chopped
3 Blanched Almonds – Chopped into 4 bits each
1 Tbsp. of Pomegranate Seeds would have been nice but I did not have the time to do deseed the fruit

Dressing:

1Tbsp. – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A dash of Garlic – I just grated 1/2 a pod
About 1/4 Tsp – Black Pepper ground
Sprinkling of dried Oregano, Parsley and Kasuri Methi / dried Fenugreek Leaves
Salt to taste

Garnishing:

A Tbsp. of Chopped Coriander Leaves.

Method:

Mix the salad ingredients in a wide bowl and chill for sometime.
Prepare the dressing, and pour over the salad. Toss lightly, and garnish.

This tasted really nice and easy and can pass off as a side snack with drinks when I have guests over. Serve immediately as it starts sweating out water when kept for some time.