A light, nutritious blend of quinoa, chickpeas, vegetables, and avocado-lime dressing for a fresh meal.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
→ Legumes
03 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
→ Vegetables
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
06 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
→ Avocado Dressing
09 - 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
10 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - 1 tablespoon water, plus more as needed
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
16 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in quinoa, lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
02 - Combine avocado, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, water, cumin, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, adding more water as needed to reach desired consistency.
03 - In a large bowl, mix cooked quinoa, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and parsley.
04 - Pour the avocado dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to combine evenly.
05 - Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 20 minutes to enhance flavors.
