Satisfying Chickpea and Quinoa Sea-Inspired Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup of fresh water
• ½ cup of quinoa grains
• 1 can of chickpeas weighing 19 ounces, rinsed and drained
• 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 rib of celery, chopped in chunks
• ½ cup of sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup of finely shredded cabbage
• ¼ of an onion, chopped
• ¼ cup of sliced almonds
• ¼ cup of plump raisins
• ½ cup of reduced-fat mayo
• 2 tablespoons of honey-infused Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of dried kelp flakes
• 1 ½ teaspoons of sweet pickle relish
• 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• A sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper, according to your taste

Step 1

Start by boiling water and quinoa together in a saucepan until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, typically around 15 to 20 minutes. Once done, fluff the quinoa with a fork and chill it in the fridge.

Step 2

Next, take chickpeas, carrots, celery, sunflower seeds, cabbage, and onions, and blitz them in a food processor until they are all roughly chopped. Transfer this colorful mix to a large bowl.

Step 3

Combine the chilled quinoa, almonds, and raisins with the chickpea medley. Then, add in mayonnaise, mustard, kelp flakes, relish, lemon juice, salt, and pepper for a burst of flavors. Stir everything together until the mixture is well-seasoned and ready to be enjoyed.