Despite the fact that I have less and less time to cook for myself these days, when I walk past the farmer’s market, I’m seduced by the beautiful vegetables. So, then I find myself with vegetables that I have no time to cook, but must.

This week, I had beets. The beets were firm and bright and the leaves were full and green. I couldn’t help myself. But I had to deal with them quickly. So, I went to my go-to beet recipe: Chickpea and Beet Salad. It’s simple, it’s fast (once the beets are cooked), and it’s satisfying.

The greens? My go-to greens recipe: sautéed in olive oil and garlic.

The reason for my lack of time? Well, apart from my work/commute issue, I have multiple projects happening at the same time. One of those is volume 2 of Vegetarian Italian: Traditions, which is finally under way after a very long delay at my publisher. It’s slated for release in April 2016. With any luck, that will be the case.

This beet recipe, by the way, appears in volume 1 of Vegetarian Italian: Traditions, and it’s just one of many delectable dishes straight from the Mediterranean.

This recipe calls for 1 or 2 beets, which are to be roasted, but if you’re going to turn on your oven, you’d might as well buy several and roast up a bunch (chances are, you’re buying them in a bunch, anyway). Enjoy the rest of summer and its continual bounty.

Chickpeas and Beet Salad

Makes 2 servings.

1 large or 2 medium beets
1 cup chickpeas
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the leaves and stems from the beets. Wash the beets and trim away any strings or long roots. Keep the leaves to saute or put in a soup.

Wrap the beets in foil and place them on a baking sheet. (If your beets are particularly large, you can halve or quarter them before wrapping them.) Roast them until they’re tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the size. (You’ll have to unwrap them to check their doneness.)

Remove the beets from the oven and let them cool. Peel the skin off by pulling it off with the tip of a paring knife. Cut them up into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.

Add the chickpeas, onion, oil, salt, garlic powder, and pepper and mix well. Taste for seasoning, adjust, and serve.