Moroccan carrot salad with chickpeas & pomegranate arils

This is one of my favorite fall/holiday season recipes...

This recipe, adapted from Sara Forte's "The Sprouted Kitchen: Bowl & Spoon" cookbook, is very easy, but it does take ~30 minutes to put it together, so don't make the mistake I did when I first made it - I thought I'd be able to throw it together in ~15 minutes and bring to a friend's holiday dinner party...needless to say we were a little late for the party, but the salad was still delicious! 
I recommend allowing yourself at least 30 minutes to make it, and enjoy the creative process of assembling all the ingredients of this delicious salad.

Salad ingredients: 

• 4 cups grated carrots 
  Note, it's worth breaking out your food processor, with the grater blade, for this recipe so you can enjoy freshly grated carrots (and so you avoid the dried out, pre-bagged options!) 
• 1 x 15 oz can chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) 
  Or freshly cooked & cooled if you have them/have the time. 
  Note, the canned ones are perfectly fine - just buy organic, in a BPA-free can etc.!
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
  Note, the best way to eliminate/minimize the 'bite' from the onion - is to chop it first and put it all into a small bowl with white wine vinegar - steep it for ~20 minutes and drain the vinegar when you're ready to add them to the salad
• 1 bunch of green onions, finely diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped 
• 1/2 cup toasted, shelled, pistachios
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/4 cup raisins, finely chopped 

Dressing ingredients: 

• 3 T of your favorite extra virgin olive oil 
• Zest & juice of 2 limes
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin 
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper 

Directions:

1. Toast the pistachios & then set them aside to cool while you prep the rest of the salad
2. Grate the carrots in your food processor, then put them into a large bowl
3. Chop the red onion & leave it to steep it in vinegar while you prep the remainder of the ingredients 
4. Chop/prep the remainder of the produce & add it all the large bowl with the carrots 
5. Then make the dressing by combing all the ingredients and then pour over the salad 
6. Taste for seasoning and enjoy as part of a meal with protein and other healthy fats.