Quick and Easy Cold Salad Recipes

Tuna and Chickpea Salad

We mostly make green salads with whatever looks good in the market, but we do have a favorite main course salad.

1 can tuna, drained

1 lb. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1-2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 small onion, chopped

Freshly ground pepper

Drain the tuna to cut down on the salt. Drain the chickpeas to also cut down on the salt. (This is essential if the salad is to be a salad instead of a soup.)

Once you've drained the main ingredients, flake the tuna into a big salad bowl. Add the chickpeas and chopped onion. Toss with the oil to coat the ingredients.

Add the vinegar and grind the pepper over the salad. Toss again.

If serving the salad from the bowl, sprinkle with parsley, or serve it on individual plates and then sprinkle each plate with parsley.

- Red onion makes a good change, especially Vidalia onions.

- Chopped scallions add some color.

- If you don't have chickpeas on hand, make the salad with white beans such as cannellini or great northerns.

- Use balsamic vinegar instead of red wine. If you have fresh chives, chop them with the parsley. (

Do not attempt to use freeze-dried chives; they are just awful in the salad.)

2 as a main course