Chick Pea, Edamame, and Red Pepper Salad

Confession: I like to ask for a sample of the prepared salads behind the counter at gourmet grocery stores. I rarely buy the food that I sample – it just looks so good and sometimes I do need a snack but really – I want to taste the delightful looking dish so that I can make it in my own kitchen! Just a taste is all I really need to put my “super-duper foodie detective taste buds” into action.

This is one of those salads – inspired by a trip to the grocery store and a free sample. Chick peas – also known as garbanzo beans, edamame beans – also known as soy beans, and red peppers – also known as red peppers. (I’ll stop now.) Easy, simple ingredients I always have on hand but never thought to put them together.

I cook the garbanzo beans – or chick peas – in my slow cooker. Follow these instructions for soaking and cooking beans. The addition I make when cooking garbanzo beans is a splash of olive oil – about 1-2 Tablespoons – after the beans have soaked and before I cook them. The beans get really dry and clumpy after they’ve cooked but a little olive oil eliminates their dryness. If using canned beans, be sure and rinse them off, first. That way you can get rid of the salty liquid they’re packed in.

The edamame are soy beans and I like to get organic only soy beans – avoiding the GMO’s. Trader Joe’s has them in their freezer section but we buy them at Costco – even though I have a love/hate relationship with Costco. They’re organic and in the freezer section, too. My kids love these in their lunches or as an after school snack.

The roasted red peppers give the salad a pretty color and roasted red peppers just taste delicious, don’t they? It’s super easy to roast your own red peppers. Follow these instructions for roasting red peppers. If you’re using jarred red peppers, look for 12-16 ounces. Add whatever juices come from your at-home roasted peppers or your store bought to the dressing. It has really nice flavor.

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I brought this salad to our neighborhood block party last night – it was pot-luck style! Everyone loved it. I wonder if they sampled it at our local market, too?

What’s your favorite salad to bring to a summer pot-luck party?

 Go Gingham related links:

Why I cook with dried beans – complete with money saving chart!
Very easy and tasty white bean dip
How to cook with dried beans – easy and you can use a slow-cooker
Why the “can” is bad in canned beans
Vegetarian chili made with dried beans – of course!
Corn and black bean salad – made with dried beans
Spicy hummus – yes, spicy and made from dried beans!