Sweet and Tangy Chickpea and Quinoa Penne Salad

If there’s one combination of a meal I like anytime of year it’s salad! I like them from the most simple and modest of salad with iceberg lettuce to fancier greens like arugula or baby bib. A taco salad is also welcome at my place setting and, let’s not forget, pasta salad. Salads can take on so many different flavors and there’s no end to the ingredients you can add to make one up for meal time. As always we like to share with you recipes that are healthy but full of tasty flavor! With that in mind this week’s tasty treat is, you guessed it, salad! SWEET AND TANGY CHICKPEA AND QUINOA PENNE SALAD to be exact. This is a full protein packed salad thanks to the chickpeas and quinoa. Bonus if you happen to be on a gluten free diet, because quinoa is the plant protein you’re looking for. Hearty kale works great in this recipe because it’s a nutrient full leaf that can hold its own when it comes to dressings. Speaking for dressing, our herbed raspberry balsamic dressing goes perfectly with the sweet raisins tossed among chickpeas, quinoa, kale, and penne pasta. All I can say is, yum yum yum. So, let’s get cooking! 

SWEET AND TANGY CHICKPEA AND QUINOA PENNE SALAD:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup penne pasta
• 1 cup quinoa. (We used red quinoa.)
• 1-2 cups kale, chopped (We used frozen kale in a steaming ready bag)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 whole scallions, chopped
• 1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

HERBED RASPBERRY BALSAMIC DRESSING:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup raspberry flavored balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. Start by cooking 1 cup quinoa, following package directions.
2. Cook penne pasta until al dente. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. 
3. Cook kale about 2 minutes less than the package suggests. When done cooking rinse with cold water. Set aside.
4. While the quinoa, penne, and kale are cooling, chop up your parsley, scallions, and red bell pepper. Set aside.
5. In a small mixing bowl, add raspberry balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sugar, garlic powder, celery seed, dried basil, dried oregano, and salt & pepper. Whisk together until well combined. Set aside.
6. In a large mixing bowl, add cooled pasta, kale, red bell pepper, and scallions. Fold together.
7. Add in parsley and quinoa. Fold together.
8. Add in raisins, chickpeas, and pour herbed raspberry balsamic dressing all over the salad. Fold gently to incorporate the dressing all over the veggies and pasta.  
9. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Best when served the next day, but so yummy anytime! Enjoy!