Summer Salad

 

Summer salad season is officially here. Yay! I love a good salad, sometimes as a side dish, and sometimes as the main.

I made this salad for Memorial Day, and it was so good. Simple, but packed with protein and fiber.

Protein and fiber. Protein and fiber. It seems that's all we hear from nutritionists and diet coaches. Apparently, we don't get enough of both, and it's best when the two are combined together. That's what makes this salad a winner.

Chickpea and Quinoa Salad

1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed and cooked according to directions

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Grape tomatoes, cut in half (about 1/2 c.)

Cucumber, chopped (about 1/2 c.)

Small Red onion, chopped

14/-1/3 c. Garlic Expressions dressing, or your favorite oil-based dressing or marinade

Chop all vegetables, add to bowl, and add chickpeas. After quinoa has cooked, let it cool to room temp. Add to bowl, then top it all with dressing and toss. Refrigerate for several hours until ready to serve.

Optional add ins: Kalamata olives, red pepper, artichoke hearts. Top with favorite cheese before serving, such as feta or freshly grated parmesan.

We paired this with grilled turkey burgers. So good!

Memorial Day is the kickoff to summer. We plan on having lots of meals out on the deck to enjoy the season.

Smiles and sunshine!