Smashed Chickpea Avocado Salad Sandwich (Indian-inspired)

Ingredients

• 13.4 oz chickpeas (washed, drained, and smashed; boxed or canned)
• 1 avocado (mashed)
• 0.5 lemon juice (juice of half a lemon)
• 0.25 tsp salt (or more to taste)
• 0.5 cup red onion (chopped)
• 0.25 cup cilantro (chopped)
• 2 green chilies (chopped)
• 1 tsp chat masala (plus more for sprinkling)
• 3 butter lettuce leaves (per sandwich)
• 7 cucumber (slices per sandwich)
• 6 slices whole wheat bread (toasted; 2 slices per sandwich)

Steps

1. 1

   Wash, rinse, and drain the boxed or canned chickpeas. Add the chickpeas to a large bowl.

2. 2

   Use a large fork or potato masher to mash the chickpeas. This takes a little effort; alternatively, you can pulse them in a food processor.

3. 3

   Add the avocado to the bowl and mash the avocado and chickpeas together until combined.

4. 4

   Add the finely chopped red onions, cilantro, and green chilies to the mixture.

5. 5

   Season the mixture with lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of chat masala, and salt to taste. Mix well.

6. 6

   Grab 2 slices of toasted whole wheat bread for each sandwich.

7. 7

   Top the bread with 2-3 pieces of butter lettuce leaves.

8. 8

   Top with 2 generous spoonfuls of the smashed chickpea avocado mixture.

9. 9

   Top with 6-7 slices of cucumber and add a light sprinkle of chat masala over the cucumbers.

10. 10

    Close the sandwich, slice it in half, and enjoy immediately.

Notes

The chickpea mixture stays fresh in the fridge for up to 2 days. For a low-carb version, skip the bread and use the mixture in lettuce wraps. You can substitute cilantro with dill, parsley, or basil, and add other crunchy veggies like bell peppers or carrots.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegan
• vegetarian
• no-cook
• healthy
• high-protein
• high-fiber
• lunch