Chickpea, Quinoa and Fresh Herb Salad

Full of colorful veggies, fresh herbs and a homemade lemon vinaigrette, this Chickpea, Quinoa and Fresh Herb salad is packed with antioxidants, nutrients and plant-based protein.  It’s the perfect summertime lunch or side dish.

Ingredient Notes and Health Benefits:

Quinoa:  A complete vegetarian protein that’s also high in fiber, several minerals and antioxidants.  It also adds great texture to this recipe.  I love the tricolor quinoa from Trader Joe’s.

Chickpeas: A plant-based protein that is also high in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Red Bell Peppers: High in vitamin C, B6 and folate.  They also add great color to this salad and are so sweet and yummy!

Basil: Is an anti-inflammatory, high in antioxidants, aids in digestion and helps balance the body’s pH levels.

Dill: High in vitamin C and A, fiber and folate, calcium, manganese and iron.

Olive Oil: High in healthy (monounsaturated) fats, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatories.

How To Make Chickpea, Quinoa and Fresh Herb Salad

The only thing we need to cook for this salad is the quinoa, so we will start with that.  Place 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of filtered water in a medium sized pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 8-10 minutes.  Turn off heat and leave on stove, covered for 5 minutes. This will help the quinoa become “fluffy”.  While the quinoa is cooking, drain the chickpeas using a strainer.  Rinse with cold water and set aside. Next, dice the veggies (red onion, cucumber and bell pepper and place in a large mixing bowl.  Chop the fresh herbs (basil, dill, mint) and add to the bowl.  Combine dressing ingredients in a medium sized bowl and whisk together. Add quinoa and chickpeas to mixing bowl, pour dressing on top and stir to combine.  Top with cherry tomatoes, feta and avocado (optional).

Storage of Chickpea, Quinoa and Fresh Herb Salad

This salad is perfect for meal prep. Simply store in an airtight container in the fridge and it will stay fresh for 3-4 days.  I recommend adding the tomatoes, feta and avocado immediately prior to eating.

Chickpea, Quinoa and Fresh Herb Salad

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cans chickpeas, drained
1 cucumber, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced (optional)
1 avocado, sliced (optional)
1 tbsp crumbled feta (optional)

Dressing:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 lemons, juiced
1 tbsp dijon mustard
3 cloves of garlic, finley chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Place 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of filtered water in a medium sized pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 8-10 minutes.  Turn off heat and leave on stove, covered for 5 minutes.
2. Using a strainer, drain chickpeas and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
3. Dice cucumber, red peppers, onion and place into a large mixing bowl
4. Chop herbs (basil, dill, mint) and add to bowl
5. Combine dressing ingredients in a medium sized bowl and whisk together
6. Add quinoa and chickpeas to mixing bowl
7. Pour dressing into bowl and stir to combine
8. Top with cherry tomatoes, feta and avocado (optional)