Moroccan carrot, quinoa & chickpea salad
Imagine yourself in the magical Jemaa el-Fnaa market square in Marrakesh
Servings
4
About this recipe
This salad combines a multitude of colours and textures and pairs well with fish or chicken.
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
½ tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp garam masala
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Zest of 1 lemon
Himalayan salt & cracked black pepper
2 medium carrots, julienned or grated
Juice of 2 lemons
4 Medjool dates, finely diced
1/3 cup raw pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
Large handful parsley, roughly chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
½ ripe avocado, sliced
Instructions
Step 1
Place the quinoa and vegetable stock in a medium-size saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer with a lid ajar, for 10-12 minutes until tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, place the lid on tightly and leave to sit for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and set aside until ready to use.
Step 2
Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan, over a medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook gently, without browning, for 5-10 minutes until tender. Add the fennel seeds, cumin and garam masala, before cooking for a further minute, adding additional oil if needed. Add the chickpeas and lemon zest and cook for 4 minutes. Add the cooked quinoa and stir well until ingredients are evenly combined. Season well with salt & pepper.
Step 3
Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Step 4
Add the carrot, lemon juice, dates, pistachios, parsley and thyme to the quinoa mix and toss to combine. Top with avocado just prior to serving.
Nutrition
Chickpeas are a good source of soluble fibre, which is important for gut health, as well as vitamins and minerals that are required for healthy skin, hormone balance and energy production.