These chickpea, avocado, and arugula sandwiches provide a wonderful blend of healthy fats and protein to power you through the day. After telling people I am a vegetarian, I am often asked “what do you eat for lunch?”, since sandwiches filled with deli meat are out of the question. But if you think about it, the classic American peanut butter and jelly is vegan, and a grilled cheese is vegetarian, OMG WE HAVE BEEN EATING MEAT-LESS SANDWICHES ALL ALONG!
But, as a former serial ham, cheese, and mayo sandwich eater, it was a journey figuring out what to do for lunch. Now I have a system in place, I cook a few dishes on Sunday night and then I will bring leftovers for the week to come or something simple like a soup or salad. But even as a vegan or vegetarian, there are plenty of sandwich options:
- Good ‘ol PB&J (Peanut Butter and Jelly)
- Egg Salad
- Hummus and Veggies
- Falafel (check out this easy recipe)
- Tomato and Mozzarella
- Portobello Mushroom
- Roasted Vegetable with a Chutney or Veggie Spread
- Grilled Cheese
- and of coure, this Chickpea, Avocado and Arugula Sandwich!
While creating this recipe, I intended to make a “vegan” version of egg salad. Before drifting away from eggs, I really enjoyed egg salad, especially with some fresh arugula and a thick slice of tomato. The creamy, chunky consistency of this chickpea salad works well with these ingredients, and is lighter and healthier than a traditional egg salad.
I grew some arugula in my garden this year, and oh man was it spicy. Never have I ever tasted arugula like this before, and honestly didn’t know what to do with it because the flavor was so strong. But, when I mixed some of it into salads, or put some on this sandwich, it tasted magnificent. Is there anything better than fresh grown organic greens? Well ok, maybe there are some tastier ingredients than greens, and I will answer that when my tomatoes ripen 🙂
Anyway, here is the recipe for this salad. You can store it in the fridge for a few days, and the recipe will make abut 4-5 sandwiches depending on how much filling you use in each sandwich.
- 1 can/box Chickpeas
- 1 ripe Avocado
- 2 tbsp chopped Cilantro
- 2-3 tbsp chopped Chives
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped Red Onion
- Chop all the herbs, and onion and set aside.
- Rinse and drain the can of chickpeas.
- Place chickpeas and avocado in a bowl, and smash until creamy with a few chunks.
- Add in lemon juice, herbs, and seasonings.
- Mix well, and add in more lemon juice if this mixture is too dry.
- Serve on bread, with any toppings you might like!
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