On a hunt for a simple and easy way to enjoy lunch at the office? Try this gluten free, low GI and portable Mediterranean Quinoa Chickpea Salad in a jar. Itβs delicious, nourishing and oh so satisfying - minus the sogginess!
Salad
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups quinoa, thoroughly washed and drained
- 1 onion, medium, yellow, diced
- 1 tomato, medium, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cucumber, large, diced into small cubes
- 1 bell pepper, yellow, diced into small pieces
- 1 cup parsley, fresh, finely chopped. Spinach works great too!
- 2/3 cup mint leaves, fresh, finely chopped.
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Dressing
- 3.5 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
- 1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
In a medium pot, combine 2 cups of quinoa with 4 cups of water and bring to boil. Once the water starts to boil, turn the heat down to low, simmer and cover the pot. Cook the quinoa for 10-12 minutes or until tender. Once the quinoa is cooked, drain and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside to cool.
Prepare all the vegetables and herbs separately and set aside
Make the dressing by combining olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a clean dry mason jar and shak to mix well.
Now it's time to assemble the mason jar salads in 10 jars. Make sure the mason jars are clean and dry. Start with 2 tsp of dressing, followed by 1.5 tbsp onion, 2 tbsp pepper, 3 tbsp chickpeas, 1 tbsp tomato, 2 tbsp cucumber, 3/4 cup quinoa, 1 tbsp parsley and 1 tbsp mint. You could also add spinach which works really well in this recipe. These are approximate measurements. You want to divide all the ingredients evenly in 10 mason jars.
Once done, place the lid on and store them in the fridge. When it's time to serve, simple pour the salad onto a plate and enjoy.
- Make sure all your ingredients are washed, dried and chopped - ready for assembly. This will save you heaps of time
- Your first bottom layer should always be the dressing. This prevents your salad from getting soggy
- The next few layers should be your sturdy ingredients, like your cucumber, tomato and peppers, along with the chickpeas.
- Keep the quinoa near the top - away from the dressing so it stays nice and fresh
- End with your favourite greens (spinach) or herbs, so they're crisp and full of flavour
- Store in the fridge for 3-4 days
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 240kcal (12%)Carbohydrates: 35g (12%)Protein: 8g (16%)Fat: 8g (12%)Saturated Fat: 1g (5%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 248mg (10%)Potassium: 438mg (13%)Fiber: 6g (24%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 1134IU (23%)Vitamin C: 31mg (38%)Calcium: 58mg (6%)Iron: 3mg (17%)
Keep in mind that the nutritional values provided are approximations and suggestions, and might fluctuate depending on ingredient variations, portion sizes, and recipe adjustments. This nutrition facts table cannot account for your individual needs. Your body β including your hunger and satiety cues β change daily. It's perfectly fine to eat more or less on different days. Instead of letting food guilt take over, consider mindful eating.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.