Moroccan-style Chickpea Quinoa Salad

Adapted from: Marzia Aziz

Serves: 3 (4-6 if a side dish)

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1/4 cup salted pistachios (no shells) or roasted pepitas

1/2 cup dried quinoa

1 can (400 g / 15 oz) chickpeas, drained

1 cup matchstick carrots

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup dates, chopped

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 bunch parsley, chopped

Dressing:

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/8 tsp chili powder (or a sprinkling if in Aus)

1/3 cup olive oil

This salad is fresh, light, easy to throw together, colourful, flavourful, texture-ful, can I go on? Really an all around winner. I even took this on a warm hike and didn't feel bad when I ate it 8 hours later (sans-refrigerator) because that's the beauty of no animal or wilt-able foodstuff. 

This can store in the fridge for several days--dressed! 

Dig in!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup salted pistachios (no shells) or roasted pepitas

1/2 cup dried quinoa

1 can (400 g / 15 oz) chickpeas, drained

1 cup matchstick carrots

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup dates, chopped

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 bunch parsley, chopped

Dressing:

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/8 tsp chili powder (or a sprinkling if in Aus)

1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Rinse and cook quinoa according to package directions in the same pot as the pistachios. Set aside the quinoa to cool. 

2. Prepare the dressing by mixing together the lemon juice, honey/maple syrup, salt, cumin, and chili powder. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. 

3. In a large salad bowl, combine the chickpeas, carrots, raisins, dates, scallions, and parsley. Add the quinoa once cooled and coat the salad with the dressing. 

4. Roughly chop the pistachios / pepitas and serve atop the salad.