Tuna salad with chickpeas and avocado

Tuna salad with chickpeas is my type of fast-food meal. For those days, where I don't prepare anything for lunch and I'm very hungry. It's a last minute meal but balanced that requires just a few minutes of preparation. It always helps having in the cupboard some tinned food (tuna, chickpeas, beans) for days like this.

This salad brings me memories from my childhood, my mum used to make chickpeas and salt cod salad (in Madeira). It's much more delicious that way! However, far from home, we can't get salt cod so easily. This salad is a different version adapted for the ingredients I can get here in the UK. It also has addition of new ingredients, like celery and avocado. The celery gives a crunchy and fresh flavor. The avocado can be mixed into the salad or served separate (as follow in the picture), it enriches nutritionally the recipe and contributes with a smooth texture which contrasts well with the crunchy of the celery.

Nutrition fact about chickpeas: chickpeas is a legume, high in fiber and protein. They are also a good source of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, like calcium, iron, phosphate, magnesium - important nutrients for the bone health.

Diet advice: Eating chickpeas and other legumes, like beans, lentils and peas can help you to manage your weight and satiety. This is because these foods are high in dietary fiber. The fiber takes longer to digest, in comparison with plain carbohydrates (e.g. plain rice, pasta or mashed potato), making you feel full for longer, reducing your appetite and thereby lowering overall calorie intake.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 120g drained tinned tuna in brine
• 240g drained tinned chickpeas
• 1 boiled egg
• 1/4 red pepper
• 1/4 green pepper
• 1 stick of celery
• 1 gratted carrot
• 1 small onion
• 1 small bunch of fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 small avocado

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1. Peel and dice the onion. Put it in a mug with hot water to remove some of the acidity.
2. Chop some fresh parsley.
3. Boil the egg.
4. In a salad bowl, put the onion, parsley, tuna and chickpeas drained.
5. Chop the peppers, celery and grate the carrot. Add into the salad bowl.
6. Add chopped egg and olive oil. Mix altogether.
7. Serve with sliced avocado (or chop the avocado and mix with the salad).