Chickpea Avocado Salad and other goodies

This one�s a quick and simple recipe to help you get through the warm summer days when you have no desire to turn on the oven. You just have to remember to buy the avocados a couple of days before you want to use them in order to give them time to ripen, since they�re always so hard on the grocery shelf. It makes a great lunch or side dish for a picnic.

I also wanted to show you a few products I�ve tried recently that you might enjoy at your next picnic, courtesy of the folks at Olio2Go. One of them is this pear and nut jam made by Maida.

It�s more of a savory flavor and can be used in the way a good mostarda is used � on a crostino with some goat cheese or ricotta  -

Or served over a piece of grilled meat.

The other item they sent me was truly addictive � I ate the entire package by myself � they�re called Sugar �Crack� Almonds from Villa Cappelli. Share with friends if you like, but once you open the package and taste them, you may change your mind.

Chickpea Avocado Salad

printable recipe here

1 13-ounce can chickpeas, drained

1 ripe avocado, diced

1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 cup red onion, diced

fresh parsley and fresh thyme, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

4 T. vinegar (I like white balsamic but wine vinegar or sherry vinegar would be great too)

Open the can of chickpeas and rinse well to get off the �goop.� Place in a bowl with the avocado, tomatoes, red onion, salt, pepper and herbs. Whisk the oil and vinegar, pour over the salad and mix everything together.