Chickpea Quinoa Salad with Cherry Basil Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (400g), drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
• 1, diced cucumber
• 1, diced red bell pepper
• 1 cup, halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup, chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove, minced garlic
• 1/2 cup, pitted and chopped cherries
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• to taste black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Steps

1. 1. Rinse the quinoa under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water; bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and let cool.
2. 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, basil, and parsley.
3. 3. In a small bowl, combine the chopped cherries, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, and black pepper. Mix well to create the dressing.
4. 4. Once the quinoa has cooled, add it to the large mixing bowl with the vegetables and chickpeas. Pour the cherry basil dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients.
5. 5. Allow the salad to sit for at least 10 minutes to let the flavours meld before serving.

Notes

• Feel free to adjust the sweetness of the dressing by adding more or less maple syrup.

Substitutions

• If you don't have fresh cherries, you can use diced strawberries or blueberries as alternatives.