Power Protein Salad

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

This vegan power protein salad has 30g of complete protein per serving, thanks to quinoa, kidney beans, chickpeas, and edamame.

4.50 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Servings 2 Big Salads, or 4 Side Salads

Calories 500 kcal

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!

Notes

If you're pinched for time, feel free to sub the roasted almonds with raw or salted almonds bought from the store (or any other type of nut you like).