Need a refreshing and simple salad featuring Springtime ingredients, and dressed with herbs and citrus? This Quinoa Fennel Chickpea Salad is for you!

 

While I’ve been obsessed with Spring’s fine fruits lately, I can’t neglect the tasty vegetables that this beautiful season also has to offer. Farmers market stalls display a rainbow of colors that are truly inspiring, which is super helpful when you’re feeling a little stumped in the kitchen. All of that wandering between eye-catching vendors led to the creation of this Quinoa Fennel Chickpea Salad.

I often forget how much I like using fennel in recipes, that is until Mary from Nom Yourself and I teamed up to make a bountiful lunch the other day. Aside from piecing together a delicious pesto bowl, we made a simple puff pastry pizza topped with thinly sliced fennel, onion, vegan ricotta, balsamic glaze and basil. What a way to reinvigorate your motivation to cook!

After that, I knew I wanted to put together a spring-y salad that was light, fresh, and still filling. I even made it gluten-free and oil-free! (not that it’s hard to make the veggies and whole foods the star of this recipe) Another plus is that you can find all of these ingredients easily and it takes less than 30 minutes to put together.

I’m a fan of making this salad ahead, then eating it for lunch for a couple of days. It could be easily transported in jars or tupperware for bringing to work!

Substitutions + Tips:

• Quinoa – I like the white for this because it has just a slightly more mild flavor than red quinoa. If you’re not a fan, brown rice or farro would be great here, as well.
• Baby arugula – this is just how arugula is most commonly found in a grocery store, but full-sized arugula that has been chopped with also work.
• Fennel – now, if you haven’t had fresh fennel, think of how fennel seeds taste a bit like black licorice, but the bulb itself is much more mellow. It’s so good here!
• Hemp hearts – I love the added protein these provide in the salad, but if you don’t have them on-hand, raw sunflower seeds or pepitas are a great alternative.

One year: Creamy Quinoa Jalapeño Poppers // Two years: Apple Fennel Seitan Dogs // Three years: Brunch Beverage Trio // Four years: Baked Spinach Falafel with Homemade Tzatziki

Quinoa Fennel Chickpea Salad suggestions:

• I highly suggest that you enjoy this salad with a glass of Boozy Mint Strawberry Lemonade! 😉
• If you can find them, use blanched fava beans instead of chickpeas for an extra-Springy dish.

You can find this salad in my High-Protein Meal Prep for Two menu!