Chickpea and Cherry Tomato Salad with Cilantro Dressing

This simple salad is from one of my favorite cookbooks, Clean Food. There's not much to it besides the chickpeas and tomatoes. but they're held together by a delicious sassy cilantro dressing. A food processor is needed for the dressing.

You could use this as a side next to grilled meat or fish or as a dish to share at a dinner. It also makes a nice green salad by tossing it with some baby spinach and a little more of the dressing. Don't add all the dressing at once when you make the recipe. When I make it for just us, I halve it (using a pint of cherry tomatoes and a can of chick peas.) The real value of this salad is what's leftover that you can eat the next day as a quick lunch.

Chickpea and Cherry Tomato Salad with Cilantro Dressing
adapted from Clean Food by Terry Walters

2 lbs cherry tomatoes (mixed varities make it special)
3 cups cooked chick peas (I use 2 cans, rinsed and drained. for the whole recipe) 4-5 chopped scallions

Dressing

1 garlic clove, peeled
1 large bunch of cilantro (about a cup)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 T lemon juice
kosher salt and pepper

Cut the tomatoes in half, and add to a large bowl with chick peas and scallions

With food processor running, drop in whole garlic clove and mince. Turn of processor, scrape down sides, add cilantro, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pulse to combine. Drizzle dressing over salad, toss and serve.