Mediterranean Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Makes 4 wraps/sandwiches

For the chickpea salad:

• 15 ounce (425.24 g) can chickpeas drained or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas

• ½ cup red bell pepper chopped

• ¼ cup green onions chopped

• 3 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes chopped

• 3 tablespoons Kalamata Olives chopped

• 1 tablespoon dates or raisins chopped ,optional

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon zatar optional

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup parsley chopped

• ¼ cup mint chopped

For the dressing:

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 3 tablespoons tahini

• 1-2 tablespoons hot water

For the rest of the salad

• bread slices or you can also put the chickpea salad in a wrap or in a bowl t.

• Crispy greens or sliced tomatoes or cucumber as needed.

1. In a bowl, add the chickpeas. Mash until ¾  of the chickpeas are mashed. Add red bell pepper, green onions, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, dates, all the spices, salt, parsley, and mint, Mix well

2. In another bowl, mix the tahini with lemon juice and 1 tablespoon hot water. Mix it until the tahini starts to get light and fluffy. You can add another tablespoon of water if it is getting too thick.

3. Once the mixture is light and fluffy, add it to the chickpea bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. If the mixture is dry (depends on the chickpea brand and tahini) add in more tahini and water and mix.

4. You can let this mixture chill for at least an hour for the flavors to double up.

5. Then assemble your sandwich. Add some layers of tomatoes or crispy greens. Top with the chickpea salad and another bread and serve.

Notes:

Crunch: use sunflower seeds or chopped toasted walnuts or pecans to the chickpea filling for some extra crunch 

Add ½ cup chopped artichoke hearts for variation.