By Jyoti Jain
Looking for new ideas for lunch? Make this Mediterranean Quinoa salad with chickpeas, feta cheese, and Za’tar spice. Great for dinner too!
Start your New Year right with this easy to make, colorful, healthy, and delicious Mediterranean salad. This light salad is nutritious and loaded with easy to digest plant-based protein and is high in fiber and antioxidants. It makes the perfect lunch, especially on the go! You can also add it to any dinner.
Quinoa is a complete plant-based protein source with a wide range of amino acids. It is a low carb, high fiber food loaded with antioxidants. Chickpeas are high in fiber and have a higher amount of Tryptophan that helps regulate sleep and emotions. Although beans can aggravate Vata dosha leading to gas, bloating, and constipation. To make them more digestible and eliminate the gassiness it is important to soak them overnight and drain the water and use fresh water with turmeric and a pinch of baking soda while cooking them. Za’atar spice is a Mediterranean spice blend of oregano, sumac, sesame seeds, marjoram, and thyme. You can find readymade Za’atar spice in the ethnic section of your local grocery store. It is well known for its antioxidant and medicinal properties and imparts an earthy and tangy flavor to the dish.
Do give this colorful Mediterranean quinoa salad loaded with the goodness of protein-rich quinoa a try!
Mediterranean Tri-color Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas, Feta Cheese and Za’atar Spice
(4-6 servings)
Ingredients (everything organic)
2 cups of cooked quinoa
½ cup cooked garbanzo beans*
1 large carrot, shredded
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 tomato, diced
⅓ cup feta cheese, crumbled
5 black olives
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Za’atar spice
½ lemon juiced
1-2 sprigs of parsley, chopped fine
Salt to taste
*To prepare cooked garbanzo beans: Soak ¼ cup chickpeas overnight in water. Next day drain the water, add fresh water along with 1 tsp turmeric and a pinch of baking soda and cook for 30 mins till the beans are tender.
Method
Wash and rinse the quinoa in water and prepare according to package directions. In a stainless bowl whisk olive oil along with lemon juice and Za’atar spice to make the dressing. Keep aside. In a stainless bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cooked garbanzo beans, shredded carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese. Add the dressing and additional salt to taste and mix well. Garnish with parsley and serve at room temperature. Enjoy!
This delicious, and easy to make Mediterranean salad is the perfect healthy start to the New Year- for lunch or dinner! Do give this recipe a try and don’t forget to like, comment, and share. After all, sharing is caring.
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Jyoti Jain is a culinary instructor, food blogger, and food photography enthusiast and has been teaching the Art of Wholesome Eating (AWE) class through the Art of Living Foundation for over 12 years. You can view more recipes at her personal blog www.jyotisorganickitchen.com
