My Version of Smashed Chickpea Salad

I just returned from L.A. yesterday and am feeling bittersweet about vacation ending so quickly.  The trip was fun but it was tiring, exhausting sometimes.  We woke up early, shopped, explored new neighborhoods, walked, ate, walked, walked, walked day in and day out.

Anyway, despite all that walking, I also did a little bit of  'vacation eating.'  You know, the "whatever, I'm going to eat that gelato because this is my vacation!" kind of eating.  And despite other attempts at eating healthy, when you're eating more meals out than in, you're bound to feel like you need to start cutting back.

So when I got home to an almost totally empty fridge but almost totally full of carb lover snacks pantry, I knew it was time to go to the grocery store.  After grocery shopping, I was famished and wanted something quick, healthy and in wrap form (that's not specific or anything, right?).  I stared at my purchases and remembered the smashed chickpea salad sandwich Deb featured on smittenkitchen a while back.  I didn't remember what was in her version, and probably wouldn't have had all the right ingredients anyway, so I decided to make my own and it came out wonderfully.  Bright and citrusy from the lemon juice, aromatic and spicy from the cumin and coriander, and crunchy from the cucumbers.  Light, fast, flavorful and just right.

Smashed Chickpea Salad

Ingredients 

1 can chickpeas, drained and smashed

1/4 red onion, finely diced

1 medium cucumber, seeds removed and chopped

1 tbsp olive oil and vinegar dressing

juice of half a lemon

1 tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsps coriander

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Pour drained chickpeas into a medium bowl and lightly smash with a fork until chuncky.  Add diced red onion, chopped cucumber, dressing, lemon juice and stir until coated.  Add cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and stir until evenly combined.