As the weather heats up, my thoughts go to foods I can prepare that don’t heat up the kitchen excessively.  This is recipe that I modified from Weight Watchers is perfect for light summer meals. It has quickly become a family favorite and a great way to get those extra veggies into your diet. The beauty of the recipe is that is easy to modify it to use those fresh-from-the-garden vegetables. I cook my own chickpeas but you can use canned ones on those nights when you are in a hurry.

Chickpea and Feta Salad 

Ingredients

• 2 cup(s) canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 – 2 clove(s) (medium) garlic, finely minced
• 2 Tbsp scallion(s), thinly sliced
• 1/2 large sweet red pepper(s), diced
• 2 Tbsp parsley, fresh, finely minced
• 9 large olive(s), black or green, pitted and chopped
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup(s) crumbled feta cheese (I prefer the lower amount)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas, garlic, scallions, red pepper, parsley, olives and feta cheese; toss to combine.
• In a small bowl, whisk together oil and lemon juice; pour over chickpea mixture and season to taste with black pepper. Serve warm or cold. 1/2 cup per serving.

Variations

• Mix 1 cup of the salad with some cooked pasta for a new take on pasta salad
• Add some cooked chicken or turkey to pump up the protein
• Substitute your favorite light vinaigrette salad dressing for the dressing here