Quinoa Chickpea Avocado Salad

This quinoa chickpea avocado salad is the real deal for a gal who was raised to believe salad isn’t food, it’s what food eats. This salad actually works for you, not against you, especially if your hormones are staging a hostile takeover; the kind that parks fat at your waist and makes your energy disappear at 2pm. I’ll spare you the explanation why this helps with glucose response and taming inflammation, and just tell you it’s not only tasty, but also a good choice during perimenopause.

Simple, hormone-friendly recipes are just one part of what I do here at Finding My Fierce. If you’re a woman over 40 and want to learn about rebel wellness, feral confidence, perimenopause and reducing overwhelm, I’m your people. start here

Ingredients

(see printable recipe card down below)

SERVINGS: 4 | Start to finish: 15 minutes

• ⅔ cup (160 ml) water

• ⅓ cup (60 g) quinoa

• ¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt or other coarse salt

• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

• 2 tsp (4 g) grated lemon zest

• 3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice

• 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil

• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground black pepper

• 1 cup (170 g) canned chickpeas, rinsed (no-salt added)

• ½ cup (50 g) shredded carrot

• 1 small avocado (150 g), diced

• 1 package (5 oz/ 142 g) pre-washed mixed salad greens

Ingredient Swaps for Hormones (Perimenopause) and Insulin Resistance

• protein boost options: 1 soft-boiled egg, 3oz (85g) grilled chicken, 2 tablespoons (30g) hemp seeds

How to Make This

1. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in quinoa, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, remove the lid and let cool for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Optionally, use ready-to-eat quinoa and skip this step.

1. In a large bowl, add the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, and pepper and stir to combine.

2. Add the chickpeas, carrot, and avocado and gently toss to combine. Let stand, uncovered, for 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Add the cooled quinoa and gently toss to coat.

3. Divide the salad greens into 4 servings and top with the quinoa mixture.

Before You Go

This recipe came out of the same place where I write the rest of this blog: in a vintage RV parked in the woods next to a river, where I write about rebel wellness, fierce confidence, simple living and hormone friendly meals for women over 40 in perimenopause and menopause. If you’re interested in learning more about these topics, read my story or start here.

If this made meal time a little easier, leave a comment below or a review on the recipe card. Tell me what you swapped or what you added.

Melissa

Recipe adapted from Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019

Print

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Quinoa, Avocado and Chickpea Salad

Servings: 2

Author: Melissa

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Quinoa Chickpea Avocado Salad on a bed of mixed lettuce is sprinkled with a zippy lemon vinaigrette. It’s a delicious and heart-healthy meal that’s perfect for those days when you need all the good stuff but don’t have the energy to cook.

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Ingredients

• ⅔ cup water
• ⅓ cup quinoa
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or other coarse salt
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed (I use no-salt added)
• ½ cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium carrot)
• 1 small avocado, diced
• 1 (5 ounce) package pre-washed mixed greens

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in quinoa, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, remove the lid and let cool for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
2. In a medium bowl, add the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, and pepper and stir to combine. In a small bowl, reserve 3 tablespoons of the dressing, set aside.
3. In the medium bowl, add the chickpeas, carrot, and avocado and gently toss to combine. Let stand, uncovered, for 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Add the cooled quinoa and gently toss to coat.
4. In a large bowl, add the lettuce and the reserved 3 tablespoons of dressing and toss to combine. Divide the greens between 2 plates or bowls and top with the quinoa mixture.

Notes

• To make ahead: Prepare quinoa (Step 1) and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

554

Fat (grams)

39 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

5 g

Carbs (grams)

45 g

Fiber (grams)

14 g

Net carbs

32 g

Sugar (grams)

3 g

Protein (grams)

11 g

Sodium (milligrams)

569 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

0 mg

Nutrition info provided as a courtesy and basic guideline.  The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. View Nutrition Disclosure

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