Middle Eastern Chickpea and Quinoa Salad

I'm usually pretty good about doing most things in moderation. But every once in a while, I get a little obsessive.

When I was younger it was Paul Frank t-shirts and gigapets and Razor scooters and Beanie Babies and that snake game on my first old-school cell phone. 

Then it was Gilmore Girls. Cheddar-jalapeno bagels. Whose Line is it Anyway. My iPhone. Burt's Bees pomegranate chapstick. Watching Charlie Sheen make a fool of himself in interviews. Sudoku. TOMS shoes. Zumba. Paninis. The list goes on. 

And last year, I added to the list. This new obsession of mine, I to this day have no idea why, was chickpeas.

I ate some kind of chickpea stew at a party and that was it.

All of a sudden I wanted hummus all day long. I toasted chickpeas with spices and ate them by the handful. I added chickpeas to my pasta, to my salads, to my breakfast scrambles.

But, as with many good obsessions, it all came to a crashing halt.

One day I woke up and instead of thinking about how deliciously soft on the inside yet crisp on the outside or how nutty and full of protein they were, all I could think was, Ugh, chickpeas. Gross. They're so round and obnoxious and chickpea-y. Enough is enough already.

I couldn't even look at another chickpea, heaven forbid add one voluntarily to my meals.

Thankfully, chickpeas and I have made amends.

Now, I can add it to my list of things I contentedly go about doing in moderation. Which is good, because they are definitely worth keeping around.

This is also a big relief, because this dish just wouldn't be the same without them. They break up the texture of the quinoa, they give a nutty softness to go with the chewy sweetness of the dates, and they have that perfect caramelized outside that makes your mouth water.

So go on and have yourself some chickpeas, just, you know, be careful not to get too obsessed. We all know how that can end.

Middle Eastern Chickpea and Quinoa Salad
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 (16oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon chili powder
3 cups cooked quinoa (brown rice or couscous are also good alternatives)
½ cup dates, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup mint, chopped

In a large nonstick pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until onion has begun to brown, this should take about 5 to 10 minutes. Once the onions are beginning to brown but have not completely caramelized, add the chickpeas. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the chickpeas have begun to caramelize a bit on the surface. Remove from heat and add the salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder.

Combine chickpea mixture with the cooked quinoa, rice or couscous. Add the remaining ingredients, and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toss to combine. Serve warm or room temperature.