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.

Roasted Pear, Pecan, and Goat Cheese Salad

I love fall. I’m pretty sure it’s my favorite season. Well, maybe not. But it’s definitely in my top four.  

And right now, it is officially fall. I know this because the high in Los Angeles today, according to our local weather girl, is going to be 78 degrees.

Don’t understand the significance? Then you most likely live in a location that has actual weather and actual seasons. Unlike Los Angeles that has… sun, in varying degrees.

Her exact words, I kid you not, were, “See how these temperatures are dropping? Looks like we’ve got a cool week ahead of us.”

I wonder if I’ll have time to buy that winter parka I’ve been eying at the mall. Never know when you might need it with these freezing fall days that lay ahead.

To be fair, a day at 78 degrees is definitely a dramatic change from 2 weeks ago, when the thermometer on my 1997 Volvo station wagon—which is as reliable as the fact that I could probably drive that car through a brick wall and it would still be totally intact—reported that, as I pulled into my driveway, it was 106 degrees outside. So, 78 degrees, kind of a big deal. And, it was actually cloudy this morning.

So, Perky Weather Girl, maybe you have a point.

Anyway, whether having weather below 80 degrees, warrants it or not, you should most definitely make this fall salad.


It’s simple and warm and sweet and filling and fall-y, and that’s not a word… except for how I just made it one.

Roasted Pear, Pecan, and Goat Cheese Salad

Serves 3


For the salad:

3 bosc pears, ripe but not too soft, cut in half, cored, and sliced about ¼ inch think.

1 teaspoon butter

½ cup pecans

4 cups baby spinach

3 oz goat cheese

For the dressing:

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray and place pears, in one flat layer, on the sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. The bottoms of the pears should look caramelized and the tops should be soft to the touch. Remove from heat and set aside.

While the pears bake, heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add pecans and toast for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. They will begin to darken in color. Remove from heat.

Combine spinach, pears and pecans. Crumble goat cheese onto each salad.

To make the dressing, simply combine all the ingredients and mix well. Pour over salads and serve immediately.