Thank you For the Chef for sponsoring this post!
Another happy post coming your way, folks! I’m excited about today’s recipe because 1. It’s sponsored by For the Chef, one of my favorite kitchenware companies, and 2. It’s a powerhouse of delicious vegan protein that will put naysayers to shame!
For this recipe I went for the trifecta of vegan protein – nuts, beans, and quinoa. This salad has a whopping 30 grams of protein per serving!! I also toasted nuts and seeds – rendering them crunchy and slightly chewy – so of course those had to go in the salad too. The almonds add a hint of smoky and spicy flavor that just goes perfectly with the mealy beans and hearty quinoa.
I also felt inspired by the awesome cast-iron skillet the lovely folks at For the Chef sent me to try out. It really is the most perfect little skillet – only 6 and 1/2 inches in diameter, it’s perfect for toasting small batches of nuts and seeds, like in this recipe. And my favorite part is that it’s not super heavy like my other bulky 10-inch cast-iron pan. There’s nothing scarier that trying to lug around a piping hot skillet that you can barely hold with one hand! Fortunately, the skillet that For The Chef sent me was the perfect size and weight for my needs. Now I just need to be careful not to spend all of my money on other kitchen goods from their store (a very real possibility, I might add!), like these gorgeous wine glasses or this classic French press. It’s gourmet heaven!

Power Protein Salad
Ingredients
Chili Roasted Almonds
- 1 Cup Whole Raw Almonds
- Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/2 Tsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
The Rest of the Salad
- 4-5 Handfuls Mixed Greens
- 1 Cup Quinoa cooked
- 1/2 Cup Edamame cooked and shelled
- 1/2 Cup Kidney beans cooked
- 1/2 Cup Chickpeas cooked
- 1/4 Red Onion sliced
To Serve
- Your favorite salad dressing
- Any other nuts and seeds you like
Instructions
Chili Roasted Almonds
- Start by toasting the almonds. Bring a cast-iron skillet or other skillet to medium-high heat.
- While the skillet is heating, combine almonds, olive oil, and spices in a bowl. Just use enough olive oil to lightly coat the almonds, not any more. Mix well until almonds are evenly coated with the oil and spices.
- Once skillet is hot, add spiced almonds to the pan and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the almonds start to brown and become fragrant. Be sure to stir frequently so that the almonds don't burn. You may hear a popping noise - it's just the almonds cracking.
- Once almonds are done cooking, remove from the skillet and let cool for a few minutes.
The Rest of the Salad
- Assemble your salad - toss mixed greens, quinoa, beans, and onion with your favorite salad dressing until evenly combined. This salad is really versatile - feel free to sub quinoa with any other grain (like rice or wheatberries), or sub any type of hardy beans for the beans listed in the recipe. It'll all taste great!
- Serve and enjoy!
28 Comments
Abby @ Heart of a Baker
August 3, 2016 at 8:41 amThose chili roasted almonds are calling my name! I love For the Chef and have been drooling over ALL the things on their site, so I feel you :) Cheers to a protein packed salad! xo
Sarah
August 3, 2016 at 9:54 amAren’t they the best?! I just want to buy everything on their website! ;) Thanks Abby!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
August 3, 2016 at 10:35 amWhat a beautiful meal <3 I'm loving that little skillet! All mine are rather big, I need a smaller one :O
Sarah
August 3, 2016 at 10:58 amIt’s definitely helpful to have a smaller, lighter skillet sometimes! I’ve almost dropped my big skillets more times than I can count! :D
Lauren Gaskill
August 3, 2016 at 10:40 amLove the almond edamame combo! Sounds delicious and looks amazing!
Sarah
August 3, 2016 at 10:59 amThanks Lauren!! :D
valentina | sweet kabocha
August 3, 2016 at 11:34 amI didn’t know that company, I’m gonna explore their website!
Anyway, those almonds *_____* They seems so flavorful!
Sarah
August 3, 2016 at 1:42 pmYou should definitely check them out, they have a ton of great stuff! Thanks Valentina! :D
dixya @food, pleasure, and health
August 3, 2016 at 9:54 pmi would eat this salad just for those almonds!!!!
Sarah
August 4, 2016 at 11:33 amThey are pretty darn good!! ;) Thanks Dixya!
Aimee | Wallflower Kitchen
August 4, 2016 at 7:14 amThe flavours in this sound soooooooo good! You got it so spot on. And I love the variety of protein sources. 30g? Impressive.
PS. I’m loving that skillet. Definitely got something like that on my wish list :-)
Sarah
August 4, 2016 at 11:32 amIt’s a protein party!! ;) Thanks Aimee :D
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
August 4, 2016 at 12:29 pmThis is a beautiful salad of a meal, and a beautiful story behind it too :) I always love hearing the why/how a recipe came to be :)
Sarah
August 5, 2016 at 1:42 pmAww thanks Natalie! I’m glad you appreciated it :)
Maya | Spice + Sprout
August 4, 2016 at 5:09 pmSo lovely, Sarah! I totally feel you on the inspiration. It is so fun to cook for people you love! Glad to hear you are feeling good <3
Sarah
August 5, 2016 at 1:43 pmThank you Maya <3
Jordan Leigh
August 4, 2016 at 6:31 pmI just found your website and I am OBSESSED. So I have a question if you don’t mind :) I have a lot of digestive issues and cannot currently tolerate beans or too much processed soy. :/ but I need to gain a lot of muscle and I’m searching for ways to get protein that is easy on the digestion. Any help/suggestions are greatly appreciated!!
Sarah
August 5, 2016 at 1:55 pmHi Jordan! Thanks so much for stopping by! :) There are a ton of ways you can get vegan protein without eating beans or soy. Quinoa is my favorite example – it is a complete protein and and is easy on the digestion. I have a chai-spiced breakfast quinoa on my blog that is pretty popular, in addition to a bunch of other quinoa recipes. In addition to quinoa, I would also recommend eating stewed lentils (i.e. curries, soups, etc), brown rice, nut butters, and protein shakes (my favorite brand is Vega). Hope this helps! :D
Geraldine | Green Valley Kitchen
August 8, 2016 at 11:31 amI’m always looking to up my protein and sometimes it’s hard but this salad looks fantastic and 30 grams of protein in one serving is perfect. I love adding nuts to salads – and your photo of the almonds is gorgeous. Will be making this soon – pinning too!
Sarah
August 8, 2016 at 7:30 pmI’m so glad you like it Geraldine! If you end up making it, let me know how it turns out <3
Britt
August 26, 2016 at 5:33 amThis looks incredible! I cannot WAIT to make this later today!!
Sarah
August 26, 2016 at 10:17 amThanks Britt!! I hope you like it!! :D
Marla@marlasmuffins
November 10, 2016 at 9:51 pmThis was really good Sarah! I loved the crunch of the Almonds. Thank you!
Sarah
November 11, 2016 at 8:04 amI’m so glad you liked it Marla!! :) Thanks for stopping by!
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Susan
January 9, 2019 at 8:13 pmI made this recipe today and followed it exactly other than having to use the whole edamame because I couldn’t find the shelled ones and was short on time. I highly recommend using the shelled ones though. I thought this was a very hearty flavorful salad and will make again.
Sarah
January 9, 2019 at 8:43 pmHi Susan, I’m so glad you liked the salad! Thank you for leaving a note, I really appreciate it :)