Ingredients
For The Salad:
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons olive oil divided
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 large jalapeños halved and seeded
- 1/2 (14-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup chopped lightly packed cilantro
- 1/3 cup sliced green onions
- 1 large avocado cut into small cubes
For The Dressing:
- 3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons agave
- 2 1/4 teaspoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
To Make The Salad:
- Bring the water to a boil in a small pot. Stir in the quinoa, turn the heat to low and cover. Simmer until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.
- Heat your oven to 425℉. Place the chickpeas on a layer of paper towels and dry them off very well, removing any of the thin, papery skins that come off. Transfer to a bowl.
- Toss the chickpeas with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the cumin, and smoked paprika and spread them out onto a large rimmed baking sheet, being careful not to crowd them.
- Put the seeded jalapeños right into the bowl that the chickpeas were in and toss with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. Place onto the baking sheet with the chickpeas.
- Roast until the chickpeas are crunchy and the jalapeños are soft and slightly charred, about 30 minutes, stirring half way through the cooking time. Let cool for 10 minutes once cooked.
- Add the black beans, cilantro, and green onions to the bowl with the quinoa, followed by the roasted chickpeas.
To Make The Dressing:
- Dice the roasted jalapeños and put them in a mini food processor (mine is 3 cups). Add the lime juice, agave, nutritional yeast, and salt. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides often. With the food processor running, stream in the olive oil until the dressing thickens and is nice and smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until the quinoa is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight to develop the flavors.
- Stir in the avocado, season to taste with salt, and DEVOUR!
