Simple Tomato and Chickpea Salad Recipe

I know, I know. It’s been a minute since my last post. Again. I haven’t felt the inspiration to post lately, and the longer I go without posting, the more pressure I put on myself…and then I avoid it completely. It’s been ages since I’ve felt like going out and shooting outfit photos, frankly, because I haven’t been shopping! I’m still on the hunt for a new job, so the only shopping I’ve been doing is for essentials (ex: food, gas, etc).

If you had told me back in May that I’d still be looking for a job in July, I would have laughed in your face (or maybe cried??). Quite a few people have told me that it’s completely normal for it to take about 3-4 months to find something. I certainly didn’t believe them before…but I do now. While I definitely could have settled into something already, I really don’t want to settle. I want to make sure that I find a company and a role that I will enjoy and excel at. Trust me, it’s hard to find.

Everyone keeps telling me to enjoy the time off, but that’s not easy either. I obviously spend a lot of time reading through job postings, researching companies, writing cover letters, jumping on calls, and more. While I take regular breaks from job-hunting, it can still be hard to relax. That being said, I’ve been killing it at my Orange Theory workouts! 😉 I’ve also had plenty of time (and energy) to play around in the kitchen, which has been nice.

The other day, I was desperate for groceries, but I didn’t feel like going out in the rain. Instead, I decided to work with what I had on hand. I whipped up this simple tomato and chickpea salad recipe and it was so delicious that I’ve eaten it for lunch three days in a row. I posted about it on my Instagram stories and ya’ll wanted the recipe, so I figured it was time to share something new on the blog!

I also like to add some other components to the plate keep my lunch interesting. I’ve been eating the salad with fresh cucumber, a few slices of cheese, pretzel thins and broccoli tots. Emphasis on the tots. They were an impulse buy from the grocery store a little while back and I’ve been hooked ever since.

Simple Tomato and Chickpea Salad Recipe:

Like many of the recipes that I create, this is more of a “guideline” than an exact recipe, so keep that in mind. For instance, if you want to make this recipe gluten free, just leave out the croutons. I’m also planning to try throwing in some fresh mozzarella next time, so you could try that too!

Ingredients –

Handful of fresh cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chickpeas, rinsed
Handful of croutons
Fresh Basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Everything But the Bagel Seasoning to taste
Sprinkle of fresh parmesan cheese
Garlic powder to taste
Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Drizzle of white balsamic vinegar (any nice vinegar will work though)

Directions –

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and toss until combined
Let it sit for a couple of minutes to let the flavours come together. The croutons will soften up a bit too.
Serve on top of some fresh greens (I’ve been going with arugula, dressed with some lemon juice).
Finish with a bit more parmesan cheese and bagel seasoning.