A couple of weeks ago, my husband’s son and partner came for a visit from California and joined by his sister and her family who live nearby, we went to a restaurant called The Mediterranean Grill. I ordered a delicious salad I had never heard of and went online to find out more. I also called the restaurant after checking the Internet, since the restaurant salad had different ingredients from the one online. The owner or manager of the grill told me that the two main ingredients are black-eyes peas* and cabbage. So feel free to improvise. I used black-eyes peas the first time and cannelloni beans the second time. I actually think the key is the olive oil and lemon juice.
Utensils: Cutting Board and knife, grater or food processor, pot for cooking beans (if not canned), bowl for tossing, platter for serving
Prep. Time: 20 minutes if beans are already cooked
Cooking Time: 40-60 minutes if beans are dry and soaked overnight; no cooking if using pre-cooked beans
categories: Vegan, Gluten-Free, No sugar added
Ingredients
1 cup shredded green cabbage+
1/2 cup cooked black-eyed peas (or chick peas or cannelloni beans)
1/2 cup grated organic carrots
1/2 cup diced organic cucumber ( with or without skin)
1/4 cup diced scallions or leeks+
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Handful of freshly chopped dill or parsley
4-6 black olives, sliced (optional)
3 T. olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon (or more!)
salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Mix all veggie ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil and lemon juice; add salt and pepper to taste and serve chilled.
+Try red cabbage and red onion for more color
Yield: Serves 4-6 as a side dish or 2-4 as a main dish
*Black-eyed peas – Nutritional Info from source below:
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutrient-black-eyed-peas-2334.html
“Black-eyed peas, also known as cowpeas, are actually beans, not peas. Beans are types of legumes, which have edible seeds sandwiched inside a double-seamed pod. Since black-eyed peas swell up when prepared, people often eat them on New Year’s Day to symbolize an increase in wealth. If you are looking for a nutrient-packed food to integrate into your diet, black-eyed peas will deliver.”
Summary of Nutrients: (Go to site for details)
Black-eyed Peas are low in fat, have a moderate amount of protein, good source of fiber, B-vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin A, and Potassium. One serving (1/2 cup cooked) of black-eyed peas provides you with 5 percent of your recommended intake of carbohydrates, assuming you have a moderately active lifestyle and follow a 2,000-calorie diet.