Quinoa Chickpea Avocado Salad

We are big fans of easy to prepare, easy to eat lunches. I made a big batch of this Quinoa Chickpea Avocado Salad for us the other day and it was filling, nice and cool (which is really good in this heat) and perfect for my grab-and-go work lunch. It looks so tasty too, don’t you agree?

I think I’ve found my new go-to salad to make for summer barbecues or parties. Forget the potato and macaroni salad, there’s a new recipe in town! This recipe is gluten-free, vegan and full of flavor!

Quinoa Chickpea Avocado Salad

Adapted from The Dive Dish

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup quinoa
• 2 Cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 Can of garbanzo beans 
• 1 Cup of cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 2 Small avocados 
• 2 Cups or 2 big handfulls of fresh spinach
• 1 Bunch fresh cilantro
• 1/4 Cup diced red onion
• 2 Cloves of garlic, minced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 Teaspoons dijon mustard
• A dash of olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

To Do: 

• Cook the quinoa in the vegetable broth, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes or until no liquid remains.
• Let the quinoa cool down a little.
• Meanwhile, run the spinach and cilantro through a food processor. (You could even throw the garlic and red onion in there, to make it even easier). 
• Drain and rince the chickpeas (AKA garbanzo beans) and place them in a large bowl. 
• Combine the quinoa, cilantro and spinach mixture, onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper in the bowl with the chick peas. 
• Mash up the ripe avocados before adding them to the bowl as well. 
• Finally stir in the halved cherry tomatoes.
• Serve chilled.