One upon a time, there was this bar/salad joint/froyo/kombucha place in Ithaca called Culture Shock. It specialized in fermented and gluten-free foods and tasty beverages. The salads, vegan frozen yogurt, and kombucha selections were awesome and creative.

My latest salad creation was inspired by the now defunct restaurant. But never fear, Marian Flaxman, the former owner of Culture Shock has recently opened The Gates with a new menu and is very vegan and gluten-free savvy! We are even having our next Ithaca Vegan Drinks meetup there because the vegan options sound so tasty.

Back to the recipe at hand.

Even though I was always a lover of sauerkraut, I never dreamed I would have it on a salad and would enjoy it so much. I also never considered putting hot sauce on a salad prior to Culture Shock either. Salad will never be the same after this. You are going to want this in your mouth.

Spicy Chickpea & Sauerkraut Salad
Serves 2-3

4 cups mixed greens
1 cucumber, sliced thin
1 to 1 1/2 cups chickpeas
1/2 cup sauerkraut
Frank’s Hot Sauce (to taste)
Balsamic vinaigrette, optional
Vegetarian bacon bits, optional

Layer all ingredients in a large bowl, in order starting from top to bottom. Serve immediately and enjoy!