Quinoa Salad With Crispy Chickpeas

Quinoa Salad With Crispy Chickpeas

Looking for the perfect light lunch? Enter this simple but very addictive salad with healthy quinoa and super delicious crispy chickpeas by HIF foodie, Helen from Scrummy Lane. 

Ingredients

For the salad

• 1 to 2 carrots, peeled and shred into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• ½ cucumber, also shred into thin ribbons
• 3 to 4 thin slices onion, halved
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• a few handfuls of fresh salad leaves
• 250 gram / 9 ounce packet ready made quinoa*, prepared according to packet instructions
• 100 grams / 3.5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 recipe of crispy fried chickpeas (add at the last minute)

For the chickpeas

• 2 to 3 tablespoons oil (canola or olive oil work well)
• 1 x 14-ounce / 400 gram can chickpeas, drained and dried well on kitchen paper
• flavourings of choice e.g ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, paprika, herbs, garlic or onion powder (optional)

For the yogurt dressing

• ¼ cup Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons vinegar
• ¼ teaspoons each salt and pepper
• juice of ½ a lemon

Instructions

For the salad

1. Toss all of the salad ingredients (apart from the chickpeas) together in a large salad bowl or on a platter.
2. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together either by hand or in a food processor, and drizzle over the salad to taste.
3. Just before serving, sprinkle the crispy fried chickpeas over the top.

For the chickpeas

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan or similar until a chickpea dropped into it starts to sizzle.
2. Add the chickpeas to the pan, preferably in one layer, and mostly cover them with a lid or other pan cover.
3. Let cook until golden and crispy, shaking the pan every now and again (about 15 minutes).
4. Drain briefly on kitchen paper, then scatter over the flavourings (if using).
5. Serve immediately with the salad. 

Notes

• *I used red quinoa, but any type is fine.