This delicious, slightly spicy salad is perfect summer fare. The soymilk/coconut extract combination adds an exotic richness.

This dish features the bright flavors of Provence, highlighting artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh rosemary. If you double the recipe, you can have an excellent lunch served at room temperature the next day. Offer the chickpea salad on a bed of mixed baby greens (mesclun) for a light and colorful presentation.

Here is another one I use at holidays–it always looks impressive with the colors from the fruit and herbs (do use fresh mint if you can–dried is not the same!) I think I adapted it from one of Mollie Katzen’s cookbooks. This salad keeps very well, and is great to have on hand for lunches and snacks.

4 cups shredded green cabbage
3/4 cup diagonally sliced green onions…

1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
1 lb. fresh wax beans, trimmed…

1 (12-ounce) packages firm tofu, drained
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice…

1 medium jicama, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes, about 2 cups
1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded, chopped into ½ inch cubes, about 11/2 cups…

1 medium papaya or 2 medium nectarines, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced…

1 lb pasta (your favorite pasta – rigatoni, shells, macaroni, etc.)
2 carrots, chopped (1/2 cup)…

I never eat it in pita bread…I usually just put the bean salad on top of lettuce and eat it as a salad. But, I am sure a pita would be good too!