Jillian Glenn is the creator of the recipe blog Peanut Butter and Jilly. She is also a nutrition expert and the bestselling author of Easy Low-Cal Vegan Eats and Light & Easy Vegan Baking. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia. This Quinoa Salad is excerpted from her latest cookbook ‘Healthy Vegan Breakfast & Lunches‘.
Table of Contents
Looking for a healthy salad for lunch that is waistline-friendly and delicious? Give this super simple salad a try! It has all the macronutrients you need to power you through the afternoon: healthy carbs from the berries and cucumbers; plant protein from the quinoa, chickpeas, and pumpkin seeds; and healthy fats from the homemade white balsamic dressing. Plus, it’s fiber-filled! This is the perfect balanced salad for busy weekdays and it travels well.
Ingredients You’ll Need
White Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Extra virgin olive oil
- White balsamic vinegar
- Agave
Salad
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Chickpeas
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder
- Spinach
- Kale leaves
- Quinoa
- Cucumbers
- Strawberries
- Pumpkin seeds
How To Make This Quinoa Salad
Step 1: Preparing the Vinaigrette
To prepare the White Balsamic Vinaigrette, in a small bowl whisk the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and agave. Set aside.
Step 2: Making the Quinoa Salad
To make the salad, warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and when it is warm, add the chickpeas and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder (if using). Cook, stirring often, for 7 to 10 minutes, until the chickpeas are crisp and golden. Set them aside to cool.
Step 3: Assembly and Garnish
Add about one-quarter of the spinach and kale to each of the four salad bowls. Top each bowl with about one-quarter of the cooked and cooled quinoa and crispy chickpeas. Add one-quarter of the cucumbers, strawberries, and pumpkin seeds to each bowl. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of dressing per salad toss, and add more dressing to taste. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy.
If packing this for a to-go lunch, store it with the dressing on the side until ready to serve.
Sassy Strawberry Quinoa Salad – Recipe Card
Sassy Strawberry Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
White Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup 60 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more for chickpeas
- 2 tbsp 30 ml white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp agave add more to desired sweetness
Salad
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil plus more as needed
- 1 15-oz [425-g] can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ tsp garlic powder optional
- 4 cups 120 g fresh spinach
- 4 cups 268 g fresh kale leaves
- 1½ cups 278 g quinoa, cooked
- 2 cups 266 g sliced and quartered cucumbers
- 1 cup 166 g sliced strawberries
- 2 tbsp 18 g roasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- To prepare the White Balsamic Vinaigrette, in a small bowl whisk the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and agave. Set aside.
- To make the salad, warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and when it is warm, add the chickpeas and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder (if using). Cook, stirring often, for 7 to 10 minutes, until the chickpeas are crisp and golden. Set them aside to cool.
- Add about one quarter of the spinach and kale to each of four salad bowls. Top each bowl with about one quarter of the cooked and cooled quinoa and crispy chickpeas. Add one quarter of the cucumbers, strawberries and pumpkin seeds to each bowl. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of dressing per salad and toss, and add more dressing to taste. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy.
- If packing this for a to-go lunch, store with the dressing on the side until ready to serve.
Reprinted with permission from Healthy Vegan Breakfasts and Lunches by Jillian Glenn. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Jillian Glenn.
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About The Cookbook
There’s a reason breakfast and lunch are the two most important meals of the day: what you eat in the morning and midday will set the tone for the rest of the day. By choosing healthy, nutritious plant-based foods, you’re giving yourself the fuel you need to power through your busy days. With these 60 simple recipes and the guidance of bestselling cookbook author Jillian Glenn, making perfectly portioned, low-calorie, delicious, and nutritious dishes is totally doable! Fall in love with vegan and gluten-friendly recipes such as:
- Tropical Smoothie Bowls
- Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes
- Vanilla and Chocolate Protein Donuts
- 5-Minute Blueberry Superfood Oats
- Healthy Adult Lunchables
- Loaded Potato Nachos
- 15-Minute Sesame Tempeh Bowl
- Easy Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili
By switching to simple homemade meals, you can rest assured you are getting the nutrients you need to feel and function at your best! And with endless sweet and savory options, you’ll never feel like you’re restricting what you love. With this cookbook, you’ll be delighted by the abundance of delicious plant-based foods you can grab and go to eat healthy all day long!
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Connect with Jillian on Instagram and at peanutbutterandjilly.com
