Quinoa-Arugula Salad with Caramelized Onions and Creamy Maple Dijon Dressing || Just A Veg

Hello Friends!

I back and coming at you with an AMAZING fall salad that’s both nourishing, healthy, and delicious! I have found that salads with just lettuce and veggies don’t fill me up for very long, but adding some plant-based protein and a grain make eating those greens so much easier.

This Quinoa-arugula salad with caramelized onions and creamy maple dijon dressing has all the fall flavors- peppery arugula mixed up with some garlicky quinoa, sweet onions, and crispy chickpeas. And GUYS- this dressing is the BOMB.COM. It’s oil free, vegan, sweet, spicy, creamy, I could go on and on.

There are also so many great nutritional components to this salad…

Chickpeas are super high is protein and fiber, and will keep you full for a long time! They are also full of folate and magnesium

Quinoa is loaded with antioxidants like polyphenols and phenoilics, and is a fantastic whole grain that is quite unrefined compared to other grains.

Arugula! Vitamin C!

Red Onion is one of the best natural sources of quercetin, a bioflavonoid great for eliminating free radicals.

Tahini is high in healthy fats which promote heart health!

OK, now, onto the recipe!

Here’s the Recipe (serves 1):

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cup arugula

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/4 cup chickpeas

1/2 red onion

1 teaspoon olive oil

garlic powder to taste

tomato

salt

pepper

Dressing:

1 Tablespoon tahini

1 Tablespoon water

1.5 teaspoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

salt

pepper

Just combine all of these ingredients and you have yourself a delicious creamy maple dijon dressing!

Directions:

Mix arugula and warm quinoa mixed with garlic powder to taste in a bowl with the made dressing
Heat olive oil in pan, add onion
Once onion is soft, add chickpeas, salt, and pepper and cook until chickpeas are soft but not mushy
Top your quinoa arugula mix with the onions and chickpeas, garnish with tomato
Add more salt and pepper to taste

That’s it! It’s super simple, super nutritious, and SO GOOD. Plus, you can make it in under 30 minutes!

I hope you guys enjoy this salad as much as I do! Let me know what you think!