Spinach Salad with Crispy Chickpea Croutons

This past week, I've been on a kick cooking from one of my all time favorite cookbooks, Jerusalem. The storytelling and history behind each dish is fascinating, the pictures are stunning and every recipe I've made has been incredible. Well, except for the carrot salad...but I don't really like carrot salad so I'll take the blame for that one.

Since all of the dishes are as beautiful as they are tasty, I'll probably end up sharing a few of my adaptions. If you don't like Middle Eastern food, you may want to check back in a few weeks. This salad was one of the first things that caught my eye when I first got the book. In one simple salad recipe, they manage to combine crunchy, creamy, spicy, sweet, tart, rich and fresh.

The one big change I made was to use chickpea croutons instead of pita bread. Have you ever made roasted chickpeas before? If not, move this to the top of your to do list! Roasting cooked chickpeas dries them out into crispy little bites that brings out their nutty flavor. I make them at least twice a month, usually as a nutritious, borderline addictive snack. Once you've made them, you'l find all kinds of other uses!

• Use crispy roasted chickpeas to add texture to a pureed soup. Try smoked paprika chickpeas over a creamy, roasted butternut squash soup. 
• Toss with chopped toasted almonds and golden raisins for a savory trail mix
• Garnish simply steamed vegetables
• Mix chickpeas roasted with coconut oil, cinnamon and cocoa powder with popcorn then drizzle with honey for a sweet and salty treat
• Use chickpeas instead of croutons, like in this recipe

I can not emphasize enough how simple these are to make. I've tried a ton of different recipes, and while some have turned out not quite as crispy as I'd like, it's impossible to mess these up. Here's how you do it:

1. Drain 1 can of chickpeas. Pat really dry using a paper towel. It's important to get them as dry as possible so they'll crisp. As you're drying them with a paper towel, rub them vigorously back and forth to loosen the skin. Pick away loose skin, but unless you enjoy tedious tasks, don't worry if some still have the skin on.

2. Toss chickpeas with a teaspoon of oil and your choice of spices and salt. 

3. Place in a 400 degree oven and roast for 20 minutes. Using a spatula, toss the chickpeas around and place back in the oven for another 15 minutes. 

4. Remove from the oven and let cool. They'll crisp even further as they cool. If you don't eat them all immediately, cover and store at room temperature after they've cooled completely. They'll loose a little crisp after a day or two, but still delicious! 

The best part is playing with different spices and flavoring ingredients. Here are some of my favorites:

Cumin/coriander

Curry/thyme/ginger

Coconut oil/cinnamon/almond butter

Smoked paprika

Sesame oil/sriracha/garlic

Garlic/crushed red pepper

Harissa

With a good mix of protein from the nuts and chickpeas, high fiber carbs from the dates and chickpeas and fat from the olive oil and nuts, this salad is perfect for a satisfying, yet light lunch. You can prepare it in advance by substituting sturdy chopped kale for spinach. Just store the chickpea croutons separate, unless you don't mind them getting soft. Sumac is a lemony scented herb common in Middle Eastern cuisine. If you can't find it at your grocery store, check a Middle Eastern specialty store or you can order it inexpensively online. I love to add it to hummus for a lemony zing or sprinkle it over sliced avocado and crackers for a snack. You could also substitute za'atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend that includes sumac as a base, since it's a little easier to find than sumac by itself. 

Spinach Salad with Crispy Chickpea Croutons

Serves 4

Adapted from Jerusalem 

1 14-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons sumac or za'atar

1/2 teaspoon mild chili flakes or powder

1/2 cup dates, pitted and chopped

5 ounces baby spinach leaves

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Prepare chickpeas as described above, tossing with 1 teaspoon olive oil, cumin, and salt before roasting. After roasting, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Toss red onion with vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside to marinate 20 minutes. 

Toss almonds with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Toast in a small skillet or in the toaster oven, until fragrant and golden. Remove from heat, toss with sumac and chili. Set aside.

Place spinach leaves in a large bowl. Toss with chickpeas, red onion, almonds, and dates. Drizzle in remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and lemon juice.