Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free Cucumber and Ceci Salad with Cipollini Onions is a fabulous meal in a salad, perfect to toss together on a hot day or night. The ceci, or chickpeas, contribute carbohydrate and abundant protein. Ceci are packed with important vitamins and minerals and they boast 15 grams of protein per cup of peas! How could you not want this little powerhouse to be part of your diet? The cucumbers this year in Northwest Vermont will blow your mind! Hands down – this summer’s bounty has brought The Sweetest cucumbers I have ever enjoyed in my life! I love the crunch and bite of raw onion opposing the crunch and coolness of cucumber. Cipolla means onion in Italian and Cipollini are little onions with a sweetness that will take your palate by storm! Sweet and tart Cipollini are perfect for use raw with salad.
White Wine Vinaigrette:
Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free White Wine Vinaigrette is simple to prepare and outstanding in flavor! Vinaigrette’s of wine or cider vinegar store wonderfully in a small mason jar with a tight fitting lid, in a dark cabinet, for a couple of weeks. They are also delicious to use as a marinade on vegetables, fish and chicken! Just a few basic ingredients and a small whisk creates a quick and is all it takes to make a delicious vinaigrette. I am always amazed when I read the ingredients on prepared salad dressings in the supermarket. There are so many stabilizers, food coloring, flavor enhancers and other chemical food additives used; and many of those additives have a gluten base. I am always on the watch for GMOs, as they can wreak havoc in the gut and other negative ways on the body, unfortunately, olives are not off limits for genetic engineering. The most delicious and satisfying olive oil to use is “Cold Pressed” (the first pressing) “Extra Virgin” Olive oil (which uses the first time the olives run through the mill) . The first initial pressing of olives is always best used on raw foods, such as salads, as its flavor is brilliant.
I became inspired to use Cipollini earlier in the season at one of my favorite farm stands, how could you not be enticed to use them immediately?
Hudak’s Farm Stand in St. Albans, VT
Yields 2 -3 servings
2 -3 medium length and slender cucumbers, peeled
12 ounces canned or cooked & drained organic Ceci (Chickpeas)
1 Cipollini Onion(sweet white or red onion)
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons gluten free White Wine Vinegar
3 tablespoons first Cold Pressed Extra Virgin non-gmo Olive Oil
¾ teaspoon dried Oregano
Peel the cucumbers and slice ¼ inch thick rounds of the cucumber, set aside in a bowl.
Peel and the onion in half at its stem, then slice the Cipollini in super thin half moon strips. Toss with the cucumber. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and toss again.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas, and add to the cucumber and onion salad. Toss to completely mingle the ingredients.
Make the Vinaigrette: In a separate small bowl or mason jar, combine: the white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper (to taste) and oregano. Whisk until combined. Placed in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid, this can be placed in the cabinet for use in salads for a couple of weeks, or it can be used immediately.
Combine the vinaigrette with the salad and toss to completely coat all of the ingredients. Eat immediately or allow to rest and serve later.
A Note about Cipollini Onions: They are super sweet and make the most amazing fried onion, braised onions and baked onions. I encourage you to tempt your taste buds with these sweet and tart little onions!
“Cucumber, Ceci & Cipollini Salad with White Wine Vinaigrette” by Liz Conforti, Forget What You Know About Wheat(c) 2016
Enjoy Kitchen Wisdom Gluten Free Salad Ideas:
Zia Vincenza’s Salad of Parsley & Roasted Red Peppers
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