High Protein Vegan Salad
Full of the good stuff. So healthy and satisfying; yet light and fresh at the same time. This salad is packed with fiber and plant-based protein. It's super easy to make and did I say it's absolutely delicious?!
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked brown lentils - about ⅓ cup + 1 Tbsp of dry lentils*
- 1 cup peas
- 2 Tbsp uncooked quinoa
- 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted**
- 1 small red onion***
- ½ cup small cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 handfuls of arugula or mizuna or a mix of both, chopped
- 2 Tbsp golden raisins
- 2 Tbsp homemade or store-bought pesto****
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To cook the quinoa, rinse well, add it to a small saucepan and cover it with lots of water. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes; until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Combine pesto and lemon juice in a big bowl. Add the rest of the salad ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss to combine.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
*I used canned lentils but you can cook your lentils from scratch. To cook the lentils, add them to a small saucepan and cover them with lots of water. Bring them to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes; until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.
**I use frozen or cooked fresh peas. I hate canned peas.
***To toast the seeds, place them on a baking sheet (no oil), in the oven, for 10 minutes or until golden. Or you can toast them in a pan over medium heat (again, no oil), just shake the pan a few times so they don’t burn.
****I don’t like the strong taste of raw onions, so I place the chopped onions in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. After ten minutes, I drain and rinse the onions with cold water. Bye-bye pungent taste, hello delicious mild flavor.
*****I have an amazing nutrient-packed pesto recipe. It takes 5 minutes to make. You can find the recipe here. But if you are using store-bought pesto, check the label for any unwanted ingredients, like parmesan if you are vegan, or preservatives and additives if you are trying to stay healthy.