If summer had a taste, it would be that of a mature juicy tomato and fresh scented basil. There’s a heatwave in London this year, so I managed to grow basil at my house again and I put it everywhere as you must’ve imagined! A chickpea and tomato combination will give you this ultimate summer salad recipe that makes a full and very light meal. Tomato and basil taste so rich and are harmoniously crafted for each other so the recipe doesn’t need anything more than just a simple vinaigrette. Chickpeas are particularly rich in nutrients, providing plenty of protein, fibre, iron, potassium, selenium, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins.
Tomatoes on the other hand are a rich source of antioxidant vitamins A, C and K and are the richest source of carotenoid lycopene. Lycopene is particularly protective against various forms of cancer, especially prostate cancer. It’s one of the few foods whose nutritional value is richer when cooked than raw; a cup of tomato sauce has much more lycopene than a fresh tomato (about 22 grams). Therefore, there are many good reasons to make this delicious red pasta sauce at home, as tomato soup is also considered to be very helpful in any form of prostate disease. If you combine it with a few nettle leaves, then its healing value is multiplied!
Ingredients (for a large bowl as seen in the photo)
– 200gr of tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes, but I wish I could’ve used a Greek juicy tomato, which is the tastiest thing in the world)
– 400gr boiled chickpeas (about 1.5 cups)
– 15 leaves of fresh basil
– 5 radishes, sliced
– 2 spoons of balsamic vinegar
– 1 spoon of olive oil
– 1 spoon of black sesame seeds
– 1 spoon of white sesame seeds
Preparation
– Cut the tomatoes and radishes and mix them with the boiled chickpeas
– Pour the oil and balsamic vinegar in the salad, sprinkle with sesame and decorate with whole basil leaves