This was one of the those times where I tried to find something online in the way of a chickpea and dried fruit kind of salad, but turned up empty handed. I knew what I wanted, but I just couldn’t find anything close, so I just decided to make it myself. To be honest it almost always ends up better that way.
I was craving chickpeas (probably because I’m low in magnesium), and so I knew I wanted something that incorporated them. I also knew that I had a kale salad mix that I needed to use up before it went bad (waste not want not right?), and so then I got to thinking I could make a quinoa kale salad with roasted chick peas. I just started tossing things around until I ended up with this darling little salad bowl! I gotta say the only thing that stumped me was the dressing I never use packaged dressings (yuck way too much sugar) so I turfed the ones from the kale salad mix, but what was I going to use for this? I stood in the kitchen hand to my chin, and thought screw it I’ll just do balsamic vinegar and olive oil (it’s basically my only go-to). AND IT WAS SO GOOD!
I’m 100% making this vegetarian salad again, and even my “where’s the protein” loving boyfriend gobbled it up without fuss. You can play around with what you add from different cheeses to different nuts and fruit. I kind of wish I had an avocado in the house when I conjured this up, but I’ll be sure to add it in next time. You also take it a step further and add a little dollop of hummus. Ugh… okay now I want this salad for lunch today.
It’s also SUPER easy to prepare once you get the chick peas roasted (recipe here) the rest is literally just tossing everything into a bowl! Oh and I got the kale salad mix at the grocery store with all the other bags of salad and spinach etc. HIGHLY recommend I used this bag of kale mix for a million and ten things. I’ll for sure be buying it again. Shout out to Michelle for telling me about it on Snapchat! xx
KALE & QUINOA SALAD WITH ROASTED CHICKPEAS
Two servings
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup of cooked Quinoa
3 or so handfuls of prepackaged Kale Mix (kit comes with pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries)
Handful of almonds (or walnuts whatever)
Cucumber slices
Avocado slices (optional)
1 can of chick peas roasted (recipe here)
1/4 cup parm cheese (goat or feta)
For Dressing:
Olive Oil (about 1 TBS)
Balsamic Vinegar (about 1 TBS)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
DIRECTIONS
Roast chick peas as per directions (go here).
Cook Quinoa (double water to quinoa) I used a rice cooker if you don’t have one drop what you’re doing and go get one already it’ll change your life.
Once quinoa is cooked place in a large bowl, add kale mix, and toss with olive oil, balsamic salt and pepper.
Add pumpkin seeds, cranberries, almonds, and parm cheese, goat or feta.
Enjoy! You could eat this hot or cold, but if you decide to eat it later save adding the dressing until later because the nuts and seeds will get soggy YUCK.
Hope you’re having a great Tuesday!
xx
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