Garbanzo Salad (Marinated)

Notes: Originally published in the Eater's Guide - Nutrition Basics for Busy People by Candy Cumming and Vicky Newman, this is a great dish for holiday potlucks! The combinations of flavors, colors, and textures are very appealing...and nourishing!

You can prepare this salad very quickly, but you do need to let it marinate for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight for full flavor development.

Make a double recipe so you can eat leftovers for a quick lunch or dinner. A cup of this salad along with a slice of crusty bread makes a complete meal.

The garbanzos are very rich in fiber and folic acid; the onions provide allium compounds (thought to block action of cancer causing chemicals); the red pepper are rich in carotenoids; the raisins add iron.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup red onion, finely minced (1 small onion)
• 2 15-oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained (about 3-1/2 cups)
• 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp. olive oil (extra virgin is best for flavor)
• 1/2 cup sweet red pepper, chopped (4-oz jar pimentos)
• 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup dark raisins
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

Prepare the vegetables. Combine all the ingredients together. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight. Stir once to distribute the marinade, thus improving the flavor. Remove from refrigerator about one hour before serving to maximize the flavor.

Makes 5 cups or 10 1/2-cup portions, each 1/2-cup portion providing about 150 calories, 6 grams protein, 4 grams fat, 24 grams carbohydrate, and 4 grams fiber.