Welcome to my breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in between OBSESSION! This Quinoa and Kale Salad with Roasted Chickpeas and Creamy Lemon Dressing has everything you could ever want in a meal. It’s fresh, light, and bright from the lemon dressing, kale, scallion, and red pepper. Then it’s hearty, nutty, and salty from the quinoa, roasted chickpeas and Feta Cheese. And then you get a burst of fresh sweetness from the pomegranate seeds. And all of the different textures will make your mouth so happy!
The Perfect Healthy Meal Prep Recipe
Not only is this delicious and good for you, but it’s incredibly versatile and can be made well in advance to enjoy all week!
Quinoa, pronounced KEEN-wah, is actually an edible seed that is referred to as a Superfood because of its health benefits. It’s high in complete protein including 8 amino acids and it has more fiber than most other grains. It also has Iron, Manganese, Lysine, and magnesium.
The texture is similar to a couscous, but a little more fluffy. It has a mild, slightly nutty taste, similar to brown rice. However, because it’s so mild, it really absorbs any flavors you mix with it. Check out more Quinoa Recipes!
Pomegranate Seeds are also so good for you! They are loaded with nutrients, have antioxidants, have anti-inflammatory benefits, and so much more. Read more about the many benefits of pomegranate seeds.
Quick note! This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them. This commission is what helps me keep this blog afloat :). But, I also share these links because I have used the products, genuinely love them, and want you to know exactly what I used.
PREP-AHEAD TO MAKE YOUR QUINOA & KALE SALAD
Here’s the wonderful news about this recipe…the entire thing can be made ahead! Then you can eat it throughout the week! (See the recipe below for more details)
It starts with the quinoa, which you first want to thoroughly rinse with warm water in a strainer. Then you cook it according to package instructions (very similar to rice). Let it cool in the fridge.
By the way, you can make extra and freeze quinoa. Just spread it out on a sheet pan and freeze, then scoop it into a freezer bag/container. Check out more Freezer Hacks to Save Dinner here!
While the Quinoa is cooking, you can also roast the chickpeas. Roasting chickpeas gives them a crispy nuttier flavor and really transforms them into little bites of wonder.
Make the roasted chickpeas by first draining and rinsing them in cold water. Pat dry with paper towel and place on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle with Olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Toss to coat each chickpea with seasoning. Place in preheated oven and roast for 25 minutes.
Then make the dressing by combining the sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, yellow mustard, parsley. Add a dash of salt and fresh ground pepper. Taste for seasoning and add more salt & pepper if needed.
While the quinoa and chickpeas are cooking, prep all of the veggies! Dice the red pepper and chop the kale. Finely slice the scallion.
Slice the Pomegranate in half and then holding one half upside down, hit the back with a mallet or the back of your knife to knock out the seeds.
To a large mixing bowl, add the cool quinoa, chickpeas, kale, red pepper, pomegranate, scallion, crumbled feta, and dressing. Then mix to combine.
ENJOY!
😍 Carrie
Quinoa and Kale Salad with Roasted Chickpeas and Creamy Lemon Dressing
Ingredients
Creamy Lemon Dressing
- 1 Lemon
- 1 tbls Sour Cream
- 1/2 tsp Honey
- 1 tsp Yellow Mustard
- 1 tsp Italian Parsley finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
Roasted Chickpeas
- 15 oz Chickpeas 1 can
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Other Salad Ingredients
- 1 cup Quinoa, uncooked
- 1/2 cup Red Pepper, diced
- 2 cups Kale, sliced
- 1/4 cup Scallions, sliced
- 1/2 cup Feta, crumbled
- 1 Pomegranate seeds only
Instructions
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Start by rinsing the quinoa thoroughly in a strainer and then cooking it according to package directions. Let cool in the fridge.
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Make the dressing by first, zesting the Lemon and then cut in half and add the juice from only half of the lemon to a mixing bowl. Also to the bowl, add the sour cream, lemon zest, honey, yellow mustard, parsley. Whisk the ingredients together. Add a dash of salt and fresh ground pepper. Taste for seasoning and add more salt & pepper if needed.
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Make the roasted chickpeas by first draining and rinsing them in cold water. Pat dry with paper towel and place on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle with Olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Toss to coat each chickpea with seasoning. Place in preheated oven and roast for 25 minutes.
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While the quinoa and chickpeas are cooking, prep all of the veggies! Dice the red pepper and chop the kale. Finely slice the scallion.
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Slice the Pomegranate in half and then holding one half upside down, hit the back with a mallet or the back of your knife to knock out the seeds.
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To a large mixing bowl, add the cooled quinoa, chickpeas, kale, red pepper, pomegranate, scallion, dressing and crumbled feta. Then mix to combine.
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Store in pre-portioned lunch containers, serve as a side or as a main dish. Enjoy!
