Here are some nutritious facts about the ingredients of this recipe:
Quinoa is a nutritious whole grain, while spinach gives you iron, and chickpeas are an abundant source of plant-based protein. Carrots are always good to have because they have a bunch of beneficial vitamins, especially vitamin A, which do wonders for your eyes and skin. Olive oil and pumpkin seeds not only boost the appeal of the salad but also give you a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids.
(I have also included my easy-to-follow recipe of How To Cook Quinoa.)
Ingredients
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 1/4 cups spinach (you can use rocket leaves/ arugula too if you prefer)
1 cup soaked and cooked kabuli chana (white chickpeas)
1 1/4 cups coloured capsicum cubes (green, red and yellow)
3/4 cup cut carrot
2 tbsp roasted green pumpkin seeds- as garnish
For the dressing
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp honey
3/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
How to cook quinoa:
- Rinse 1 cup uncooked quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer under running tap water. Let the water drain.
- Take 1 3/4 cups water and bring it to a boil (the ratio of quinoa to water is crucial; always follow the 1:1 3/4 ratio of quinoa to water to get perfectly cooked quinoa). Add 1 tsp olive oil and then add in the quinoa. Give it a nice stir and bring to a rolling boil. Then lower the heat and cook the quinoa for about 15 minutes and until all the water has evaporated.
- Remove the pot from heat and let stand for 5 more minutes, covered.
- Uncover — You should see tiny spirals separating from and curling around the quinoa seeds. Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork. If any liquid remains in the bottom of the pan or if the quinoa is still a bit crunchy, return the pot to low heat and cook, covered, for another 5 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.
Making the salad:
- Mix the quinoa, spinach/ rocket leaves, kabuli chana, capsicum and carrot in a deep bowl. At this step, you can keep your salad in the fridge if you are planning to have it later. Prepare the dressing and store that in a small glass bottle as well.
- If not, pour the dressing over the salad, toss it well, top it with pumpkin seeds and serve immediately.