Broccoli, Tomato and Chickpea Salad

What is it about being a child that makes us not want to eat certain foods? Is it the fear of the unknown, or do our taste buds need to grow just like our bodies?
There were so many things that my brothers and I wouldn’t touch as kids. I HATED avocado. Now I put it in and on EVERYTHING.

Albert only ate hot dogs and French fries for the first five years of his life, but now he eats everything in sight.

Josh wouldn’t… oh wait, Josh was allergic to peanut butter and hated salmon and both of those are still very true.

This salad was hands down one of the best (and simplest) things I have made yet, and it contains two of the things I hated most as a kid, broccoli and red onions.

Broccoli was always too mushy (probably also while I hated avocado) and red onion was too “spicy.”

I’ve always loved tomatoes though. I used to eat tomato sandwiches and take them to school in my lunch instead of an apple.

I would say the tomato and vinaigrette was why this salad was so good, but that would only account for my taste. I think Blake, Morgan, Lish and Megan loved it because it’s just undeniably fresh, crisp and tangy.

You will need…

1 lb broccoli separated into florets (4 cups)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small red onion thinly sliced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas drained and rinsed

In a pot, steam the broccoli for about 4-6 minutes. You want the broccoli to be slightly cooked, but still very crisp.


While the broccoli is steaming, prep the onions and tomatoes and combine them in a bowl with the chickpeas.



When the broccoli is finished steaming, remove the broccoli from the pot and add them to the mixture.

Whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard and salt and pepper and pour the dressing over the salad mix.


Toss and serve.


And try those things you hated as a kid!

Love and Beer Floats
Angela