Curried Chickpea Salad Lettuce Cups with Apricot + Avocado

Hello! Isn’t summer just sneaking up on us? All of a sudden, my ghostly pale legs are coming out of hiding and I’m seeing strawberries at the farmer’s market. We’re in that sweet early June phase when the mornings are still cool and the days are on the verge of getting hot, soon to be replaced by over-bearing heat for the rest of the summer. Summer’s arrival is particularly poignant this year, as it perfectly coincides with my third trimester. We have three more months as a family of three (four if you count our dog, Sally — and I do!).

I always feel a sense of urgency at the beginning of summer to soak up as much of this beautiful, fleeting season as I can, but the feeling is magnified this year. I know it will fly by, and I want to enjoy my time with Rose as much as I can. So I’m trying to slow down, soak it in and let go of the hustle a little bit. This summer, I hope to share some of my simple recipes that make the most of this moment, utilizing seasonal produce and not requiring too much time. Like these curry and apricot chickpea salad wraps, which are simple, light and delicious.

I adore the combination of curry powder and apricot. It’s become a joke in our household how much this dynamic duo seems to work its way into our meals lately. Particularly during the summer, I love incorporating fruit into savory dishes, and curry powder complements the sweet-tart flavor of apricot perfectly. Curried chickpea salad is one of my favorite go-to lunch recipes, and with apricots just coming into season, I decided to pair them with the salad for a seasonal twist.

The chickpea salad is equally delicious atop a crusty sourdough bread or a pile of dressed greens; however, lettuce cups keep this recipe light and easy for summer. And they’re so pretty, no? Feel free to choose any vehicle you desire for this salad. I also love to make a version with leftover roasted pasture-raised chicken, but using chickpeas makes this recipe extremely easy — I always have a prepped jar in the fridge or a can in the pantry.

I’d love to know — what types of simple summer recipes would you like to see on here in the coming months?

Enjoy! xo Maggie

Curried Chickpea Salad Lettuce Cups with Apricot + Avocado

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 2-3 servings

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Ingredients

For the salad:

• 2 tbsp mayo, preferably organic, or vegan mayo works, too
• 2 tsp apricot jam
• 3 tsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp celery, finely diced
• 1 tbsp shallot, minced
• 1 tbsp minced herbs (I used mint and chives)
• 1.5 cups chickpeas (from one 15-oz can, rinsed and drained)

For the wraps:

• 1 head of bib/butter lettuce
• 1 apricot, thinly sliced
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• To garnish: fresh herbs, greens, sliced radish, lime wedges

 

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Instructions

 

1. Make the salad. Add mayo, jam, curry powder, lime juice, salt and pepper to a medium-size bowl. Whisk until well-combined. Add celery, shallot, herbs and chickpeas. Stir to combine, lightly mashing chickpeas with the back of a spoon or fork to help thicken the mixture a bit. I like this salad quite chunky, but feel free to further mash the chickpeas to your desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
2. Assemble the lettuce cups. Make the lettuce cups by overlapping two leaves of lettuce for each cup. You will have enough chickpea salad for about 6 cups. Scoop a large spoonful of chickpea salad into each lettuce cup. Add a few slices of apricot and avocado to each cup and garnish with herbs, greens or sliced radish. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!

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Notes

 This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled and stores nicely in the fridge for a few days of lunches. It is equally delicious atop toasted bread, salads or grain bowls.