The mighty chickpea is a favorite in the homes of many vegetarians I know. The challenge this month was to come up with a vegetarian soup or salad featuring this most treasured legume. The garbanzo bean. There are lots of scrumptious entries this month and I will be going back to these entries time and time again. Thanks to all who sent in their lovely recipes. As usual, the choice won't be easy, but please vote for your favorite in the comment section or via email. Please note that neither my submission nor Jacqueline's is eligible for the vote.
Our very first entry is this delightful
Creamy Garbanzo-ball and Wild Rice Soup from Sarah of
The Ordinary Vegetarian. Inspired by some short grain black rice, Sarah included it along with carrots, celery, onion, peas, garlic, thyme, parsley, rice milk and tofu. Of course the soup would not be complete without some scrumptious fried chickpea balls made up with some tahini, herbs and some chickpea flour to bind with the cooked garbanzos. (Aurora, IL, USA)
Next up is PJ of
Seduce Your Tastebuds with a satisfying
Harira Moroccan Lentil and Tomato Soup. Chickpeas, lentils, vermicelli rice, onions, tomato, ginger, cinnamon and coriander come together with a Tadouria made up of flour, tomato paste, lemon juice and coriander leaves. I would certainly to be happy to have a bowl of this flavourful soup! (India)
Ricki of
Diet, Dessert and Dogs submits this lovely
Warm Chickpea and Artichoke Salad. Simple to prepare, and very tempting to consume at one sitting, browned chickpeas and artichoke hearts are dressed with olive oil, lemon, basil, oregano and garlic, and then garnished with some chopped almonds. Who ever said simplicity could not be elegant too?! (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Jenny of
Southern Fried Curry presents us with a real treat!
Fresh Chickpeas, which I have never had. She dressed these little delights with a bit of sea salt, some olive oil, lemon juice and crumbled feta. Certainly a treat and fun for her little girl too who helped shell the fresh beans that Jenny describes as a bit nutty like cooked dried chickpeas, but are also sweet, a bit like peas or edamame. (Georgia, USA)
Sayantani who keeps
A Homemaker's Diary is up next with this gorgeous
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad with Roasted Potatoes. This hearty salad is made up of chickpeas, roasted potatoes, cherry tomatoes, cottage cheese (or feta), carrot, french beans, cucumber, onion, cabbage, olives and dressed with garlic, coriander, olive oil, lime juice, cumin seeds and
harissa. This salad is just packed full of flavour and good for you too! (India)
Next up is Janet of
Taste Space with a stunning
Chickpea and Spinach Salad with Cumin Dressing and Orange Yogurt Sauce. Baby spinach is topped with a combination of chickpeas, cumin, mint, onion and parsley. Then a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, cumin and cayenne covers the chickpeas and and finally a yogurt orange sauce mixed with a bit of honey is poured on top. This salad would be sure to impress your dinner guests. (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Ivy of
Kopiaste enters the fray with a creamy
Revithosoupa (Greek Chickpea Soup) that she describes as simple but most delicious, especially if you use Greek olive oil. Chickpeas here star with mashed potato, onion, olive oil and some lemon juice. Pure comfort food, especially if served with some crusty bread. (Athens, Greece)
Soma of
eCurry celebrates the warm sunny weather with this delightful
Roasted Artichokes Chickpeas & Garlic Salad with Lemon & Sesame. A perfect choice for artichoke fans, here they are paired with roasted chickpeas and garlic and dressed with a bit more garlic, olive oil, crushed red pepper, lemon juice and zest, sesame seeds and some sesame oil. What a delightful lunch this salad would make. ((Plano, Texas, USA)
Up next is Deepti of
A Hint of Spice with this
Falafel Inspired Soup. This comforting soup combines chickpeas, garlic, onion, cumin, cardamon, turmeric, vegetable stock, fire roasted tomatoes and is served with yogurt and warm pita breads. Very warming and soothing. (Charlotte, North Carolina, USA)
Kirsten of
From Kirsten's Kitchen to Yours gets creative and decides to make a
Mediterranean Style Chick Pea, Kale and Tomato Soup instead of the hummus she usually makes with chickpeas. This "kitchen sink" creation includes chickpeas, kale, carrot, onion, shallots and
roasted tomato sauce. Sounds pretty fine to me! (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
Johanna of
Green Gourmet Giraffe made three chickpea salads this month, but decided to submit this tempting
Chickpea, Vegetarian Sausage, Pumpkin and Greens creation in celebration of St. Patrick's day. Chickpeas, grilled vegetarian sausages, pumpkin, tomatoes, a few mushrooms, spring onion, a handful of fresh basil, some parsley and chives are dressed up with yogurt, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup and some mustard. Lots of flavour in this lovely green salad. (Melbourne, Australia)
Sweatha of
Tasty Curry Leaf submits a simple but tasty
Chilled Chickpea and Everything Salad. Chickpeas, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes and cucumber are dressed with basil, mint and lemon juice. Sweatha tells us you can add whatever you have on hand to this salad and suggests pasta, paneer and lightly cooked vegetables and nuts. Certainly this is a good standby recipe! (Bangalore, India)
My own entry this month is a
Chickpea Salad with Goat Cheese, Olives and Arugula. My favorite legume is here combined with goat cheese, olives, onion, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, fresh lime juice, paprika, cayenne and chili powder and served over fresh arugula. Serve along with crusty bread for a satisfying lunch or dinner. (London, Ontario, Canada)
Susan of
The Well Seasoned Cook submits this nourishing yet simple
Chickpea and Pasta Soup. This colourful soup includes not only chickpeas and pasta, but also garlic, rosemary, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and chili flakes. Susan tells us this soup is perfect if you don't feel like cooking but don't want to sacrifice flavour or nutrition. Just lovely! (New York, USA)
Next up is Maninas of
Food Matters. For our event, she was inspired to make a gorgeous warm
Sri-Lankan-style Chickpeas Salad. Bursting with flavour, chickpeas come together here with caramelised shallots, green chili, brown mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, turmeric, coconut, fresh lime juice and some fresh coriander leaves. I think this one will quickly become a favorite in my kitchen. (United Kingdom)
From Lubna of
Yummy Food we have a beautiful and colourful
Chickpea Soup. Inspired by
Vegetarian Bible, soft and buttery chickpeas are cooked in a spicy tomato gravy with garlic, onion, fresh coriander and lemon wedges. This would be enjoyable anytime of year, especially when served with crusty bread or rice. Simply yummy! (Bangalore, India)
Jacqueline, my dear friend and co-host of No Croutons Required, submits this lovely and nourishing
Warming Red Lentil & Chickpea Soup. This warming bowl of nutrients is made up of chickpeas, red lentils, garlic, onion, carrots, cumin and vegetable stock. I truly wish I lived next door to Jacqueline! Perfect creation as always. (Scotland, United Kingdom)
Our final entry is from Aqua of
Served with Love. She serves up this mouthwatering
Sweet Potato and Chickpeas Chaat. This Indian inspired dish combines chickpeas, sweet potatoes, fresh coriander, chilies, onion, chat masala, cumin and fresh lemon juice. I just adore Indian dishes like this one. Aqua tells us it makes a fine evening snack. I would enjoy this anytime of day. (Singapore)
Jacqueline will be hosting the April edition of No Croutons Required. Check back at the beginning of the month for the theme.
The challenge for March was to make a soup or salad with the treasured chickpea, otherwise known as the garbanzo bean. We received lots of tempting entries, but the favorite was Jenny's salad made with fresh chickpeas. What a treat! How lucky Jenny was to find some a rare delight. Congratulations Jenny. 
Jacqueline will be hosting the April edition of No Croutons Required. The challenge for this month is to come up with a soup or salad featuring the allium family. Choose from onions, shallots, leeks, spring onions, garlic or chives.
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