Green Goddess Salad with Crispy Chickpeas

One of my go-to salads features butter lettuce, shaved fennel, roasted sweet potatoes, and crispy chickpeas. Top it off with the spiced green goddess dressing and you have yourself a summer-worthy dinner. (Photo source: Alec Tilly)

Dressing adapted from Bon Appetit

| Yield: 2 servings | Time: 45 minutes |

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas

1 large sweet potato

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

dressing

1/2 cup tahini

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup fresh parsley

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground fenugreek (optional)

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup water

salad

1 large head butter lettuce

1 bulb fennel, cut into thin slices lengthwise

4 red radishes, thinly sliced

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Prepare the crispy chickpeas. Drain and thoroughly rinse the chickpeas. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, and add the chickpeas and 1 teaspoon of salt. Let the chickpeas fry up without much disturbance for 5 minutes. Toss the pan and let other sides of the chickpeas brown, adding more oil if the pan seems dry. Once nicely browned and crispy, remove from heat.

Cook the sweet potatoes. Scrub and dry the sweet potato. Chop into cubes, and dress the cubes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Evenly space them in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook for 25 minutes, until soft and browned on the bottom. Set aside.

Prepare the dressing. Place the tahini in a food processor with the garlic, spices, herbs, and lemon juice. Pulse to combine, and then stream in the water while the motor is running. Add more water if necessary, to create a creamy dressing consistency. Alternatively, you can finely mince the garlic and herbs, and whisk everything together in a bowl.

Tear the butter lettuce into two large bowls. Add the fennel and sweet potatoes to the bowls with the lettuce. Toss with a generous amount of dressing, and then top with the crispy chickpeas.

Use the leftover sauce on other salads and grain bowls, or use as a dip for crackers or raw veggies.

Zero waste tips

Put vegetables straight into your shopping bag to avoid plastic, or reuse plastic you already have at home.
Recycle the can of chickpeas, or better yet, cook chickpeas from dry.
Buy grains, beans, and spices from the bulk section of a grocery store with your own container. You can even do this with olive oils and vinegars at some places. If inaccessible, buy in large bulk containers — this is cheaper in the long run anyway.
Compost whatever scraps you can’t use — yes, you can even do this in a small urban apartment!