Mediterranean food is some of my favorite food… baba ghanoush, hummus, falafel—what’s not to love? My muse for this Mediterranean dish was a Turkish recipe I saw many years ago in Organic Gardening magazine. I added more vegetables, replaced the parsley and dill with mint and chives, and added protein for an antioxidant-rich, fiber-filled meal (15 grams of fiber per serving). However you choose to modify this dish, do not omit the toasted walnuts. Just saying…
Ingredients:
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 bunch asparagus
1 pint snow peas
3 chives, minced
1 scallion, chopped
4 zucchinis
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup raw walnut pieces
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
15-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (roasted is also delicious)
Black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Fresh mint, to taste
Directions:
Clean vegetables, place tomatoes in a large glass mixing bowl (after patting them dry), and set aside the remainder of the vegetables.
Fill large stock pot with 1 inch of water and place metal steamer inside. Bring water to a boil. While water is boiling, cut asparagus in half and trim snow peas if needed. Place asparagus and snow peas in the steamer basket and steam for 6 minutes. Remove and place in an ice bath or run under cold water. Pat dry and place in mixing bowl.
While the veg is steaming, mince the chives, chop the scallions, and cut the Kalamata olives in half; placing them in the mixing bowl.
Slice the zucchinis in 1/8 inch thick rounds. Place in a separate mixing bowl and mix with 1 tsp sea salt. Let them sweat for 10 minutes. Rinse, pat dry, and place in large mixing bowl with the other vegetables and olives.
While zucchinis are sweating, toast walnuts in a sauté pan on the stovetop over low-medium heat. They’re done when they’re slightly more brown and fragrant.
Then, add olive oil, black pepper, and garbanzo beans to the mixing bowl. Combine well. Serve garnished with toasted walnuts and ribbon-sliced mint.
Servings: 4
I’d love to hear from you. Please comment below or send me an email: what are your favorite Mediterranean dishes? If you modified this one, what did you do differently (I love new ideas!)?
If you thought this blog post was helpful or know someone who would benefit from it, please like it and share it.
With love, Steph