These avocado chickpea lettuce cups with hearts of palm are a great starter or side to a healthy vegan lunch. Add your favorite protein for a complete meal that's gluten free and dairy free.

Do you ever feel like you just went to the grocery store, but yet have nothing to eat in the house?

That happened to me last week.

I had a few things in the fridge, a few fruits ripening and a couple things in the pantry, but I was feeling like there was nothing at the ready to eat.

Knowing this couldn't be true, I looked in my cupboard, glanced in the refrigerator, and quickly came up with a recipe for these vegan avocado chickpea lettuce cups with hearts of palm.

I don't have a lot of canned goods in my house, but I do have a few work horses.

What you can usually find in my cupboard at all times is: beans, coconut milk, artichokes and hearts of palm.

That sums up all of the cans in my house.

Of course, I always look for BPA-free cans as I'm not looking for a side of toxins with my food.

Luckily there's now a decent amount of options out there, and there's also glass jars for hearts of palm.

You could even throw in artichoke hearts with this chickpea salad, or switch up your beans.

Celery is always an options, or sweet peppers for an added crunch.

I like lime with cilantro, but if you only have lemons, use that instead.

I think the avocado chickpea salad looks nice in smaller cups with lettuce arranged underneath.

If you're hosting a lunch or brunch, it could also show well on a platter.

Separating the lettuce will allow the salad to keep longer. No soggy leaves here.

You could even throw this avocado chickpea salad into a mason jar for lunch at work.  

So look at that. I suddenly have many options for a meal when I thought I had none!

Avocado Chickpea Lettuce Cups

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon shallots, minced

• 1 lime

• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, stems removed and chopped

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 2-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 BPA-free can chickpeas, drained

• 8 ounces jarred or BPA-free hearts of palm, drained

• 1/2 cup fresh cucumber, diced

• 2 small avocados, peeled, seeded and diced

• 4 handfuls of mixed greens

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place the dijon, shallot, juice and zest of lime, cilantro and apple cider vinegar in a glass bowl and whisk. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Add the chickpeas, hearts of palm and cucumber to the bowl and mix. Season if necessary, and then gently fold in the avocado. Top with additional cilantro and serve on mixed greens.

Looking for more healthy salad ideas?