Rainbow Salad Bowl

So although I love tucking into a warm, hearty bowl of soup, especially at the moment when its so dam cold, I've also been trying to make a selection of super easy salads that are really filling but packed with nutritious ingredients, like grains and seeds.

I will be writing a lot more about protein sources soon. Plant based foods such as chickpeas, lentils, quinoa are all super high in protein, especially all the great amino acids which we need for the growth and repair of our body!

So how can you make this giant bowl of goodness?!

Chickpea and quinoa salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander2 cups water

• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas.

• ¼ finely cubed cucumber

• ¾ cup chopped red onion (from 1 small red onion)

• A handful of spinach

• ¼ cup olive oil¼ cup lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• ½ teaspoon fine sea saltFreshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 Teaspoon of Pumpkin seeds

• ¼Lemon juice

• ¼ cup olive oil

Combine the rinsed quinoa and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Add 1/2 a teaspoon of vegetable stock for taste. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, to give it time to fluff in a bowl.

In a large serving bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, red onion, pumpkin seed and chopped spinach. Then mixed all together with the lemon juice, olive oil and squidgy of honey.

What you add in your bowl!!

• Roasted butternut and sweet potato

• Cherry tomatoes

• Dices of avocado

• Red pepper hummus

• Grilled Halloumi cheese

• Cubed Feta cheese

Tip: I also always add a sprinkle of baby pea shoots on top for extra greenery

Hope you enjoy

Jx