Curried Garbanzo Bean Salad

Chickpea or garbanzo bean, is there any difference? No, it's the same thing, so call it what you like. This is super easy and fast to prepare. I prefer freshly cooked garbanzos for texture and flavor, but that takes some planning ahead. So, feel free to use canned, rinsed garbanzos if need be.

Garbanzo beans are an excellent source of molybdenum and manganese. Molybdenum is an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites. They are also a very good source of folate and a good source of protein, fiber, copper, phosphorus and iron.

Interesting tidbit: The Latin name for garbanzo beans, Cicer arietinuram, means "small ram," reflecting the unique shape of this legume that somewhat resembles a ram's head.

Ingredients:
2 cups garbanzo beans
1 cup diced tomatoes
2 tbsp crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp yellow curry
1 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional for extra heat)
salt to taste

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Can be served warm or cold, with rice or as shown here with spinach (see the 'spinach with pine nuts and raisins' post for this recipe). Enjoy!