Healthy Quinoa and Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herbs

Here’s an easy, vegan quinoa chickpea salad recipe for you. Made with fresh veggies, herbs, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, and quinoa. This cold salad is perfect for the warmer days ahead and makes a delicious healthy lunch or a side dish at dinner.

If you have leftover chopped vegetables like onions, tomatoes, and celery sticks, then add them to this bowl and you've got yourself a fresh quinoa salad.

Recipe Developer: Hannah Sunderani @twospoons.ca

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Total Time: 35 Minutes

Serves: 6 people

Why we love it:  This salad has a ton of refreshing flavors which is complemented perfectly by the taste of dill. The sweet, creamy dressing brings out the flavors in the entire salad and each bite tastes better. This is not a salad you eat and feel hungry ten minutes later. It's packed with vegan protein from chickpeas and has the grains fill you up. Be sure to save your leftovers, quinoa salad will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store in an air-tight container.

Health Benefits:  This salad is low in calories and filled with protein. Chickpeas have 2.4 grams of vegan protein per teaspoon and pumpkin seeds have 12 grams of protein in one cup. If you're looking to add more protein to your meals, read The Beet's article about the 6 Seeds With The Most Protein.

Make it for: A healthy and flavorful lunch. Serve with a pita on the side or simply enjoy the salad by itself.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa uncooked (I used tricolor quinoa)
• 2 cup of water
• 1 red onion small
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (300g/10 oz)
• 1/2 cup parsley tightly packed
• 1/2 cup dill tightly packed
• 1 can chickpeas (400 ml/14 fl oz)
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Lemon Vinaigrette dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil + 1 tbsp
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• sea salt pinch
• pepper pinch

Instructions

1. In a saucepan combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cook quinoa for 12-15 minutes. Fluff with a spoon and cover with a tea towel. Let rest.
2. Dice onion, and chop celery and tomatoes into small chunks. Finely chop parsley and dill. Drain and rinse chickpeas.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine quinoa with veg, herbs, chickpeas and pumpkin seeds.
4. Prepare vinaigrette: In a small mixing bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic, sea salt, and pepper.
5. Whisk to combine. Pour lemon vinaigrette over quinoa salad and toss to combine.