Quinoa Chickpea Salad

Lately I've been trying my best to make healthier foods - for one reason or another. Probably because I want my pants to fit, but that's just a minor detail. I promise not everything I'll be posting will be healthy, but I'm sure trying most of the time. But really - who can turn down a delicious recipe for brownies?

I started teaching questioning in my reading class, and I decided to use quinoa as the "q food" to practice asking questions. Lucky for me - I had extra and was able to modify a delicious salad recipe I found earlier on.

Salads are really quite perfect. Granted, they're no dark chocolate sea salt caramel ice cream, but they're still pretty darn good. They're easy to take for lunch, generally fill you up and make you feel good. I always feel proud after eating a salad, like Look at me, I ate a salad. Now, where's my ice cream? Hence, the need for healthy recipes. 

This salad is different. It's filling because of the grain, but interesting because of the textures and variety of flavors.

You'll need 1/4 red onion, 2 c. cooked quinoa (this is found by the rice and can be found at most health food stores, but it's becoming more popular at your regular grocery), 3 c. steamed broccoli, 2 cans of chickpeas - rinsed and drained, 1/2 c. chopped pecans, 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil, and 2 lemons and 1/4 c. olive oil for the dressing.

This is how I chop basil. I stack it all up nice and tall.

Then roll it together. This picture reminds me of a caterpillar. I apologize. It's much more delicious than caterpillars. Not that I've had one. Lately.

Then, slowly slice it down the body of the caterpillar - I mean, basil roll. Then BAM - you've got a TON of fresh, chopped basil. I love it.

Here's how you make the salad. Put the basil in the bowl.

Add the onions and everything else on the list. Then, mix it together.

Then you have a salad. Tah-dah! Delish.