Chickpea and Quinoa Salad with Lemon and Tahini

If you are looking for a balanced vegetarian meal that is easy to make but full of flavor, then I recommend this earthy, yet tangy Chickpea and Quinoa salad that I made the other day when my preference was to curl up on the couch with a fat history book instead of going on an extended culinary journey in the kitchen. You may wish to serve it with this refreshing Miso, Seaweed and Mushroom soup.

Chickpea and Quinoa Salad with Lemon and Tahini

For the salad:

1/2 cup of quinoa
1/2 cup of chickpeas
1/4 cup of parsley

For the dressing:

1 shallot, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
juice from one lemon
2 tablespoons of tahini
a few splashes of olive oil
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Soak the rinsed chickpeas overnight in enough water to cover. Soak the rinsed quinoa overnight in 1 cup of water.

Drain the chickpeas, transfer to a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover and cook until the chickpeas are soft and tender - about 1 hour.

To cook the quinoa, bring the soaking water and quinoa to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover and simmer until the water is absorbed - roughly 10 minutes.

Toss the cooked quinoa, chickpeas and parsley together in a medium bowl.

For the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over the grains and beans and toss.

Serves 4.

Other ideas for tahini:
Millet and Brown Rice with Tahini and Tamari
Olive Hummus
Chickpeas and Bechamel Sauce