Mediterranean Chickpea Salad + M&M Cookies

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Adapted from Downshiftology

Retrieved from Downshiftology

For the July 29th Food and Community drop-in event, we served up a fresh and filling Mediterranean chickpea salad and M&M Cookies to round things out. Both recipes are easy, affordable, and perfect for meal prep or potlucks. Check them out below!

Ingredients

• 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 large cucumber, diced

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

• ¼ cup red onion, diced

• 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

• ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

• Lemon vinaigrette (as much as you'd like!)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, toss together chickpeas, cucumber, red pepper, tomatoes, onion, feta, and parsley.

2. Drizzle with your favorite lemon vinaigrette and stir gently to combine.

3. Serve chilled or at room temperature - perfect for meal prep or a quick lunch!

   
   

M&M Cookies

Adapted from Lauren Allen

Retrieved from Lauren Allen

Ingredients (Makes ~24 large cookies)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)

• ½ teaspoon baking powder (2 g)

• ½ teaspoon baking soda (2 g)

• ½ teaspoon salt (2.5 g)

• ¾ cup butter, softened (170 g)

• ½ cup granulated sugar (100 g)

• ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed (150 g)

• 1 egg, room temperature

• ½ Tablespoon vanilla extract (7.5 ml)

• 1 cup mini chocolate chips (175 g)

• 1 cup M&Ms (200 g)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl!

4. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated.

5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.

6. Fold in the mini chocolate chips and M&Ms.

7. Scoop out cookie dough into large balls (about 3 tablespoons each) and place them 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheet.

8. Bake for 8–10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Do not overbake — the centers should look slightly underdone for that soft texture.

9. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 1 minute before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Let us know if you bake these and how they turned out and don’t forget to share with your community (or keep them all for yourself - we won’t judge).

Warmly,

The Food & Community Team