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Mini Croissants Stuffed with Smashed Chickpea Salad and Baby Greens

August 20, 2018 by Margaret 8 Comments

11Shares

Healthy and delicious equals winning!

I’ve mentioned before that I’m on a quest to add more vegetarian protein to my meals so that my bebe-to-be gets her protein needs met, but without my ingesting nasty ol’ preservatives. One easy recipe that I make is called Smashed Chickpea Salad. There are various versions floating around the internet, but this is my version.

Reminiscent of a chicken or egg salad, this salad uses chickpeas both for the protein and because of the lovely texture. I used store-bought mayo in this recipe just because of the risk of salmonella in homemade mayo, but when not preggo, I definitely make my own mayonnaise. Homemade tastes heaps better than store-bought, and is super-easy to make.

Growing up I always loved the egg salad-stuffed croissants from a local café near my home, and one of the ways they made it so delicious was by adding in alfalfa sprouts. So, this recipe also uses alfalfa sprouts! I think it definitely adds to the flavour, so while you could definitely adapt the sandwich to meet whatever you have in your pantry, I think it’s worth it to buy some alfalfa sprouts. I also used baby lettuce, as that’s what I’ve been growing in my balcony garden. Oh, on a side note, interested in seeing what I’ve harvested from my balcony garden this week? Check this out!

This week’s balcony garden harvest!

But back to the recipe at hand: Smashed Chickpea Salad Stuffed Croissants! I recommend getting really good, super-buttery croissants for this recipe. It definitely adds to the mouth feel (so flaky!) and taste (so buttery!) and elevates a good sandwich to café quality.

As with all of my recipes, this one can be easily adapted! Like fresh parsley? Add some in instead of dried! Like celery? Add some finely chopped celery in! And of course, adjust the seasonings to your taste. Once you know the basics of any recipe, you can adapt it and make it your own! You could even make this vegan, by using vegan-aise or a similar vegan mayo.

But let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of this recipe!

5 from 2 votes
Print

SMASHED CHICKPEA SALAD STUFFED MINI CROISSANTS

This hearty sandwich is easily thrown together, and elevated to cafe quality by the use of alfalfa sprouts and extra-buttery croissants. Mini croissants make serving sizes a breeze!

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/3 c. mayo
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp. dried parsley (or fresh!)
  • 1/2 tsp. mustard powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 mini croissants
  • 1/2 c. alfalfa sprouts
  • 16-20 baby lettuce leaves

Instructions

  1. Rinse and drain chickpeas. 

  2. Using a potato masher in a large bowl, smash about 2/3 of them. 

  3. Add in mayo and remaining ingredients, and stir.

  4. Let sit to let flavours develop, or use right away. 

  5. Slice mini-croissants in half length-wise. Layer baby lettuce and alfalfa sprouts on bottom half of croissants. 

  6. Top with smashed chickpea salad, and place top half of croissant on top. 

  7. Serve and enjoy!

I like to eat these stuffed croissants for lunch, but they’re equally good served as a light dinner, especially on hot summer nights. A fresh fruit salad as a side, and my taste buds and tummy are happy! And I know that I’m feeding my bebe-to-be some good, preservative-free nutrition!

Next Post: I’m going to share a childhood favourite with you, an easy Pineapple Float! Just typing it out and thinking about it makes my mouth water, so stay tuned! 

Linking Up at Meal Plan Monday and Happiness is Homemade! As well as Full Plate Thursday!

11Shares

Filed Under: Salads I Have Known and Loved, Vegetarian Main Dishes

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Previous Post: « Pesto & Garden Veggie Couscous Salad, with BBQ’d Tofu or Chicken
Next Post: Creamy Vanilla Pineapple Float: A Yummy Way to Beat the Heat! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Margie from Toronto

    August 20, 2018 at 2:47 am

    I’m also trying to use more chickpeas so this sounds great. I’m getting a bit fed up with BBQ Chicken, Salmon and Hard Boiled Eggs so this would make a nice change until I actually start cooking again.

    Reply
    • Margaret

      August 20, 2018 at 3:29 am

      This is a great dish to make when avoiding the heat! Plus, I personally think it tastes better the longer it sits, so it’s easily made and kept for a few days. Let me know what you think of it!

      Reply
  2. Miz Helen

    August 28, 2018 at 12:45 am

    5 stars
    What a great combination for the croissant, it will be awesome! Hope you are having a good week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday!
    Miz Helen

    Reply
  3. DonnaMarie

    August 30, 2018 at 2:05 pm

    The Smashed Chickpea Salad looks yummy. Cannot wait to try it. One question – I have never used nutritional yeast in a recipe. Can you tell us more about the benefits and whether it is necessary or optional for the recipe. Many thanks.

    Reply
    • Margaret

      August 31, 2018 at 2:25 am

      Hi Donna! Nutritional yeast is not necessary for the recipe, but I like to add it to recipes to add a vitamin boost and a dash of a cheesy flavour. Basically, it adds in b-complex vitamins. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutritional_yeast). Again, totally not necessary for the recipe. I buy it at my local bulk store (Bulk Barn, in Canada), but it should be available in any health store. Enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  4. Jeannie

    September 22, 2018 at 8:57 pm

    5 stars
    WOW! What an awesome garden on your deck! I am impressed! You have arrived. Consider yourself an accomplished gardener.
    Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry

    Reply
    • Margaret

      September 25, 2018 at 1:09 am

      Thanks, Jeannie! Now if only my snow peas and black raspberries had grown — but I’ll try again next year!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Rosemary-Roasted Potatoes & Why I'm So Exhausted - Approaching Food says:
    October 1, 2018 at 2:22 am

    […] mentioned before that I grow a few things on my balcony garden, and fresh herbs are one of the easiest things to grow! So today’s recipe uses some fresh […]

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