Minted Garbanzo Bean Salad - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe

If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...

This salad can be kept in your refrigerator for a few days getting more flavorful as it marinates. It's a great lunch or dinner addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating.

Minted Garbanzo Bean Salad

Prep and Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 medium fresh tomatoes, seeds and excess pulp removed, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cups peeled diced cucumber, (cut lengthwise and scoop out seeds), diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 medium onion, finely minced
• 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 cups garbanzo beans or 1 15oz can garbanzo beans(BPA free), rinsed and drained well
• 3 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 2-1/2 TBS chopped fresh mint
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 medium head romaine lettuce, use tender whole leaves for bed

Directions:

1. Mince onion and press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
2. Mix all ingredients except lettuce together and chill. This is best if it chills for at least 15 minutes. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Minted Garbanzo Bean Salad
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Minted Garbanzo Bean Salad

Healthy Food Tip

Can you be certain that your organically grown foods are truly organic?

Ever since the National Organic Foods Production Act was added as an amendment to the 1990 Farm Bill and passed by the U.S. Congress, there has been a solid platform for increasing our confidence about organically grown foods in the U.S. By the year 2002, the full impact of the organics law had taken affect, and since that time, we've been able to place a fundamental amount of trust in foods that have been certified as organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its National Organics Program.
Have you ever have noticed that organically grown fruits and vegetables are being segregated from conventionally grown foods in your local market? This is because there is a $10,000 fine if food represented as organic is contaminated with non-organic compounds. Separate tubs are used to trim and clean the produce and if organic foods are displayed in an area that previously displayed non-organic produce, the mats on which they are placed must be replaced and the area thoroughly cleaned with a mild bleach solution. If these foods accidentally become contaminated during their handling, they are sold as conventional (non-organic) produce.