This healthy, warming Chickpea Salad with California Prune Dressing is the perfect quick and easy meal that’s packed with nutrition and comes together in just 30-minutes! Thank you California Prunes for sponsoring this blog post.
It’s Nutrition Month, and as a Registered Dietitian, you know that makes me very happy. I love sharing fun new ways to ensure we’re getting the nutrients we need while also enjoying the food we’re eating! This Chickpea Salad with California Prune Dressing is a delicious meal packed with nutrition the whole family will love!
As a Registered Dietitian, two of my main priorities when working with clients is prevention of chronic disease and maintaining good digestive health. California Prunes are packed with important nutrients that help with both of these concerns!
Fibre in California Prunes
The fibre in California Prunes is a mix of both soluble and insoluble fibre, which is ideal for maintaining good gut health. Soluble fibre helps us feel more satisfied from our meals, regulate our blood sugar so we feel energized for longer, and helps to lower cholesterol. Insoluble fibre helps our food move more quickly through our digestive tract to reduce constipation. Having a balance of both is best, which is what makes prunes such a great addition to our everyday eating pattern!
California Prunes and Bone Health
You may have heard of eating prunes for digestive health, but the nutrients in prunes also help to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis! Osteoporosis is a disease caused by low bone mass and weakening of the bones, which can happen as we age. While there are many factors that impact bone health, getting enough vitamin K, potassium and boron are important in maintaining bone density. California Prunes are a rich source of these nutrients and also contain phenolic compounds that may help to enhance bone formation and inhibit bone resorption.
Ways to Enjoy California Prunes
I’ve been a huge fan of snacking on prunes since I was young. While prunes make a delicious snack for all ages, they’re also incredibly versatile! California Prunes are the base of this chickpea salad dressing, but they can also be used as a sweetener in baked goods, blended into spreads for sandwiches, or added to smoothies.
Notes about this Chickpea Salad
The best part about this Chickpea Salad is that you can swap out the ingredients based on what you have on hand. The roasted chickpeas are a great source of protein, but can be replaced with lentils, edamame or tofu! The sweet potato makes this salad more filling but can be swapped with brown rice or butternut squash. You can also add a few chopped California Prunes. Feel free to tailor the recipe based on your preferences!
If you’re a salad lover like me but want to make sure they’re actually filling, may I recommend you try my Vegan Caesar Salad, Warm Winter Salad or Pesto Pasta Salad next?
California Prunes has tons of great recipes packed with nutrition. They’ve actually ‘Teamed Up’ with Canadian professional athletes to provide people with easy workout tips. Check out the Team Up tab on http://www.californiaprunes.ca/ for more info on how Canadian Professional athletes incorporate prunes in their everyday lifestyle and workout regime.
I hope you love this Chickpea Salad with California Prune Dressing as much as I do! Make sure you leave me a rating and review if you try it out, and tag me in your photos on Instagram and Pinterest!
Chickpea Salad with California Prune Dressing
Equipment
- High speed blender
Ingredients
To roast for the salad
- 1 large sweet potato diced
- 2 beets diced
- 540 mL cooked chickpeas drained and rinsed if using canned
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the dressing
- 1/2 cup California Prunes
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup water Plus more as needed
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
To assemble for the salad
- 142 g field greens
- 2-3 chopped California Prunes optional
- 1/4 cup walnuts or other nut of choice
- 1/2 avocado sliced
- 1 radish sliced thinly
Instructions
For the salad
- Preheat oven to 450 F. Toss together diced sweet potato, beets and drained and rinsed chickpeas with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 tsp salt and roast for 25-30 minutes until sweet potato and beets are fork tender.
For the dressing
- Meanwhile, in a high-blender, blend together all dressing ingredients until smooth.
To assemble
- Once sweet potato, beets and chickpeas are fully cooked, toss together with all remaining salad ingredients and California Prune dressing. Serve and enjoy!
Looking for more easy vegan salad recipes?
How to Make a Vegan Salad More Filling
Vegan Caesar Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
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