Superfood Salad with Quinoa, Chickpeas, Feta, Avocado & Almonds

These days, I am never particularly excited about preparing my lunch for the week.  It’s the last thing I want to do at night when I’m relaxing on the couch, and I certainly don’t want to be stumbling through the kitchen cabinets at 6:00 in the morning. (I took these pictures around 6:30am, which is why they are blurry!)

Anyway, I've been in need of a lunch to get excited about, and this week I found one.  After seeing this inspiration for a grain/chickpea/feta salad on Orangette, I was determined to make a filling, healthy lunch.

First, let me clear any misconceptions that I am a salad-everyday-for-lunch-kind-of-girl.  I know lots of those girls, and have at times aspired to be one myself.  I do enjoy salad and eat it on a pretty regular basis, but usually it does not make up the entirety of my meal. 

For one thing, teaching is a physically demanding job.  I am on my feet all morning long—walking around, directing students in a loud voice (or yelling, depending on the day).  Usually, lunch is the first moment I’ve had to sit down since arriving at work 5 hours earlier.  I am always famished, and a lean salad is not generally the desired choice to power me through 4 more hours of teaching.

This salad is an exception.  Packed with major protein, (quinoa & chickpeas) healthy fats, (avocados, almonds & feta cheese) and vegetables, (romaine & carrots), this salad has major staying power.  It’s the kind of lunch you will crave AND feel totally good about after eating. 

All the flavors and textures going on--the creamy avocado, crunchy almonds, crisp lettuce, savory chickpeas/quinoa--made me forget I was eating a salad, and I was full for the rest of the day.  That never happens. 

Enjoy, friends!

Easy Superfood Salad

*This is more a list of ingredients than a recipe.

Make ahead:

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup quinoa

2/3 cup chicken broth

Salad Assembly:

Romaine Lettuce

Crumbled Feta cheese

Sliced carrots

Chopped or slivered almonds

cubed avocado

Red wine vinaigrette dressing (I used bottled, but there’s a good homemade version here)

Bring chicken broth and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Refrigerate for at least one hour before mixing with salad. (I like to make mine the night before and assemble the salad the next morning.)

When you're ready to make it, just toss together about a third of the chickpea/quinoa mixture with your salad ingredients and dressing.