autumn salad with chickpeas, apple, and golden beets

Sometimes weird combinations work.

 
There was this one time when I was little that my sister really liked salami. So I decided I was going to like salami since my sister liked salami since I wanted to be exactly. like. her. Regardless of how annoying it was to have a girl two years your junior following you around everywhere the majority of your life, I like to think we bonded a little bit over salami. Since we were deprived children and our mother worked from home (horrible I tell you), we were allowed to use the microwave since she was home (and when she wasn’t – but somehow that needed to fit in the story).

So anyways, my sister had this love for salami. I pretended to have a love for salami. My sister really loved cheese. I pretended to have a love for cheese.

You have no idea where this is going.

I do though – just hang tight.

My sister would take a paper plate, coat it with salami, and layer cheese over every single slice of salami. I, naturally, would have to do the same with the hopes and dreams that she would notice that I was in fact, the coolest 8 year old known to man and that she should let me borrow her really awesome leggings with the stirrups on them. No, this was not last week.

Aaaand into the microwave went those pieces of salami and cheese. For at least a minute. Because there’s nothing like the scent of burning salami and cheese in the summertime heat.

My poor vegetarian mother – not to mention her poor daughter who would become a vegetarian 14 years later.

Out of the microwave would come these gooey bubbly pieces of burnt cheese that you would have to tear off the plate in order to eat them. You got extra brownie points if you could do it without burning the bajeesus out of your fingers. You got even more points for pretending you actually liked to eat what you were eating so your sister would like you.

And then I grew up and decided that was the most disgusting thing I had ever concocted in my life.

But that, of course, is where the weird food started. I love salty and sweet. I put ketchup on everything (so sue me!). I even went through a ranch dipping phase. A cream cheese phase.

And now I put apples and beans and beets together and call it a day.

Oh, and parsley?

Yeah, weird.

The weirdest part? It tastes delicious – and the Husband cleaned his bowl (x2).

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In case you’re wondering, my sister eventually decided to love me, but only after I was not allowed to talk to her at all during sixth grade whenever we passed each other in the hallway.

And you’ll love this salad. And so will your family on Thanksgiving. And if your sister still doesn’t love you, make her this salad. That will change.

Fact.

Tagged as: gluten free, golden beets, recipe, rice, thanksgiving side dish, vegan