Looking for a quick, filling plant based salad? Look no further! This Quick Protein Packed Spinach Salad comes together in 20 minutes and is chock full of green veggies, protein, and healthy fats!
I often find myself at the end of the day looking at what I’ve eaten and there’s usually a few things I need – more protein, and more greens. For that reason, I’ve developed a lot of ways to quickly whip something up that has greens & beans. I’ll make some kind of lentil or bean dish and pour it over spinach, mix kale with baked sweet potatoes & roasted chickpeas, or I’ll throw together a little spinach salad like this one!
Why you Should be eating Greens every day
Types of Leafy Greens
- Spinach
- Kale
- Arugula
- Bok Choy
- Broccoli & Broccolini
- Collards
- Mustard Greens
- Dandelion Greens
- Romaine Lettuce
- Swiss Chard
- Turnip, Beet, Radish, Carrot, etc. Greens
- Cabbage (all types)
- Microgreens
- Watercress
- Endive
Most grocery stores also offer ‘baby’ versions such as Baby Spinach, Baby Bok Choy, Baby Kale, etc. that are less bitter and more tender. All of these can be eaten raw, wilted, or sautéed to your liking. If you are really pressed for time, you can easily purchase bags or containers of pre-washed baby spinach and add a handful to every meal (green smoothies, spinach salad, under bean dishes, stuffed into baked sweet potatoes, etc.)
Benefits of Eating Leafy Greens
All dark leafy greens are low in calories, high in fiber, and are extremely nutrient dense!. They’re especially known for their high content of vitamin K, which helps build bones and assists with blood-clotting. They are also high in folate, which protects against birth defects. Research suggests that the antioxidant content of dark leafy greens may protect against chronic illnesses like heart disease and some types of cancer (especially if you eat at least two to three servings a week!)
If you want to read more about the benefits of consuming leafy greens, check out this article, 10 Incredible Effects on Your Body When You Eat Dark, Leafy Greens.
Quick Protein & Greens Salad Recipe
A quick Plant Based salad full of protein, greens, and healthy fats. This salad comes together in less than 20 minutes and makes several servings. Will keep in the fridge for about 2 days.
- 1 Cucumber
- 1 Onion Small
- 5 Handfuls Spinach
- 1/2 Bunch Parsley
- 1 Avocado
- 2 cups Chickpeas Cooked or Canned
- 1/2 cup Quinoa uncooked, dry
- 1 cups Water Filtered
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp Maple Syrup
- Salt & Pepper to taste
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Start your quinoa so you can prep while it cooks.
In a small pot, add 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup Quinoa and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside off the heat for 5 minutes; uncover and fluff with a fork.
Alternatively, you can cook in an Instant Pot or use a rice cooker.
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Whisk together the oil, ACV, minced garlic, mustard, and maple syrup. Add salt & pepper to taste.
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Wash your spinach & parsley by soaking in a bowl of warm water with 1tbls salt added. Rinse well after soaking for 10 minutes.
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While the greens soak, chop your cucumber and thinly slice your onion. Then, rinse your chickpeas. Add them all to a large bowl.
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After rinsing your greens, chop them roughly and add them to the bowl with the chickpeas, onion, and cucumber.
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Once the Quinoa is finished cooking, add it to your salad (its okay if the quinoa is still warm). Pour over your dressing, and toss.
Serve with sliced avocado.
- If you plan to use this for meal prep, only add dressing to the portion of the salad you plan to eat - then store it separately. I personally dressed the entire thing and ate it within 2 days and it was perfectly fine. It would probably be good for about 3 or 4 days without the dressing.
- For more flavor, you can cook the quinoa in vegetable broth, but it will add more sodium.