So, I’ll be honest here in saying that I never really buy or use apricots a whole lot, and I’m not entirely sure why either. They taste good, fresh or dried so it’s not that I don’t like them. I just never really think to use them. But, this salad dressing just sounded really good to me for son reason or another. It’s sweet, but tangy, and yet has just a little bit of a kick from the ginger in there. It’s really one of my new favorite things on the planet.

This salad is a really good mix of textures and tastes. You really won’t miss meat here. And you won’t miss the dairy either. Somehow everything else going on really keeps you from focusing on what’s not there so that you instead focus on what is there. And that’s a lot of goodness!

I will say, at the start I had half a mind to sprinkle on some feta cheese, but once I took a few bites I didn’t think about it anymore. It just isn’t needed! It’s all good fresh stuff in this salad too. I used only baby spinach and also went with some amazing ‘Texas sized’ green olives which were even bigger than the cherry tomatoes.

The dressing here is really the star of the show. I used an immersion blender with mine to really get it whipped up into a creamy dressing that was just out of this world amazing. I also used a salt-free lemon pepper seasoning and was in absolute heaven with this lunch!

Apricot Chickpea Salad

Yield: 4

Author: The Skinny Fork (Amanda Plott)

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 MinInactive time: 15 MinTotal time: 35 Min

An apricot salad that will knock your socks off. Loaded with all kinds of plant based goodness and topped off with an apricot dressing that is tangy, sweet, and a little sassy too!

Ingredients

Apricot Dressing

1/4 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon, Juiced & Zested
2 Dried Apricots
1 Tbsp. Honey
1 Tsp. Minced Ginger
1 Tsp. Ground Coriander
1/4 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp. Turmeric
Pinch of Chili Flakes

Salad

1 Medium Sweet Potato, Peeled & Chopped into 1/2' Cubes
1 Tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp. Lemon Pepper Seasoning
1 C. Cooked Couscous
5 Oz. Baby Spinach
1 (15 Oz.) Can Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans
12 Large Pitted Green Olives
12 Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
8 Dried Apricots, Sliced
1/2 C. Fresh Cilantro
1/2 Red Onion, Diced
1/4 C. Roasted Marcona Almonds

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the 1/4 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 Lemon, 2 Dried Apricots, 1 Tbsp. Honey, 1 Tsp. Minced Ginger, 1 Tsp. Ground Coriander, 1/4 Tsp. Cinnamon, 1/4 Tsp. Turmeric, and a Pinch of Chili Flakes into a blender, food processor or cup for an immersion blender. Set aside.
Toss the 1 Medium Sweet Potato, 1 Tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and 1/2 Tsp. Lemon Pepper Seasoning onto a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Give it all a toss and then bake for another 15 minutes or so until the sweet potato is tender. Once done, remove from the oven to cool completely. (About 15 minutes.)
Once cooled, divide the cooked sweet potato evenly among plates or containers (for meal prep) along with 1/4 C. of the cooked couscous each, the 5 Oz. Baby Spinach and 15 Oz. Can Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans also divided evenly, 3 Large Pitted Green Olives, 3 halved Cherry Tomatoes, 2 Dried Apricots, 2 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, some of the Red Onion, and 2 Tbsp. Roasted Marcona Almonds each.
Serve each salad with the dressing divided evenly.
(Note: If meal prepping for later or for lunches, keep the dressing separate until you're ready to enjoy!)
Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

383.82 kcal

Fat (grams)

21.46 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

2.65 g

Carbs (grams)

45.73 g

Fiber (grams)

7.09 g

Net carbs

38.64 g

Sugar (grams)

20.09 g

Protein (grams)

6.94 g

Sodium (milligrams)

258.73 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

0 mg

Nutritional Claims: High Fiber • Vegan • Vegetarian • Pescatarian • Dairy Free • Egg Free • Milk Free • Fish Free • Shellfish Free • Pork Free • Red Meat Free • Crustacean Free • Celery Free • Mustard Free • Sesame Free • Lupine Free • Mollusk Free • Alcohol Free • Kosher