I made a really delicious lunch today – meat-free, very healthy and best of all – delicious! This one is going in the lunch time rotation (it would make a nice light dinner as well).
The recipe comes from the Gluten Free Goddess, whose blog you should check out. Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related foods like barley and rye, and can’t be digested by people with celiac disease. I have 3 family members who have celiac’s so I’m always on the lookout for good, gluten free recipes.
Also, I’m on a huge quinoa kick. It is so good, very healthy, and useable in lots of different meals.
To make the Quinoa Salad:
1 cup organic quinoa
salt
2 good handfuls of baby spinach leaves, washed, drained, maybe chopped
1 large ripe pear, cut into pieces
1/2 cup chilled chick peas, rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley (I omitted)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
A handful of pecans (toasted if you want)
Dressing:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
I rinsed well and added 1 cup of quinoa to a saucepan, then 2 cups of water. Cover and boil, then turn down to a low simmer until all the water is evaporated and the quinoa is tender (about 15-20 minutes). Fluff with a fork and dump into a large bowl.
Chop, rinse, and prepare your spinach leaves, pear, and chick peas, then add to the bowl.
Whisk oil, balsamic vinegar, and syrup (I increased these by 1 T each from the original recipe) and mix into salad. Season with salt and pepper, then add pecans.
Original recipe: Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach and Chick Peas in a Maple Vinaigrette
Roasted Chickpeas
I roasted my leftover chickpeas the following day to use them up. Just drizzle about 1/2 T of oil, 1t garlic powder, 1/2 t curry powder, and 1/2 t cumin over the leftover ones. Close up the container, give it a good shake, then dump onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.
Nice and crunchy and a healthier snack than chips or pretzels!
