Mediterranean Pesto Chickpea Salad

The rain has ruined my weekend plans, but it has finally cooled everything off. So I'm going to be inside doing a lot of cooking today. This recipe was made during the 90 degree heat wave we've been having, it's a quick flavorful meal that involves no cooking.

Recipe from Oh My Veggies. 

Ingredients:
-1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
-1 (15-ounce) can black olives, drained and coarsely chopped
-1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
-2 roasted red bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
-1/2 cup pesto
-Salt and black pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, coarsely mash the chickpeas -- you want it to be about 50% mashed and 50% still whole. Add in the black olives, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers. Toss to combine. Stir in the pesto, according to taste. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

You can serve this alone, in lettuce wraps or on buns. It's also pretty tasty with pita or tortilla chips.

I loved how incredibly easy it was to make this. I don't have air conditioning in my apartment, so I want to be able to make quick and flavorful meals without turning on the oven. We served it on slider buns, which allowed us to have enough for dinner and plenty for lunch leftovers.