Vegan Arugula Salad with Quinoa Avocado Chickpea Croutons {Gluten-Free}

Vegan Arugula Salad with Quinoa Avocado Chickpea Croutons  is full of delicious flavors and makes for a perfect lunch or dinner meal. The crunchy chickpeas and sharp sun dried tomatoes mix perfectly with the other ingredients. Gluten-Free too. Vegan Arugula Salad was all that was on my mind after a solid six weeks of all sorts of bad eating and limited exercise. It was salad time!

Somehow that holiday eating that started around Christmas Eve seemed to last until February for me this year. Cousin family time went on for 3 weeks, and then almost a week of parent family time, and then 2 weeks of friend time.

Absolutely no time for gym outings and healthy eating during those days. It was all about splurge and indulge. Therefore now it is all about discipline and health.

Now I have no problem eating healthy. I actually love healthy food. Full salads, steamed or roasted veggies, kale, arugula, fresh veggies, you name it I’m in.

But I am also equally as enthusiastic about chips, cheesy bread and beer. And that’s where the problems come in. You know what I mean? It’s all about the balance, which at times can be increasingly difficult to maintain.

So now that the holidays are full and sufficiently over, yes I know it took me a full month longer than everybody else to get over the holidays, but alas I have finally come around, it’s time for some lifestyle changes.

Hello New Years resolutions, I am just now getting around to taking a good look at you. I say this at this same time of year every single year. Any one else? It’s a struggle right?

With open arms I welcome salads into my life. Yay for fresh veggies finally!

Not just any salads. Not your basic boring wilty lettuce, drooping tomatoes salads. None of those.

If I’m going to be eating salads they are going to be stellar. The flavors are going to pop and I promise you will want more of my salads, and will not even be considering the burgers, fried foods or anything else you could be having instead. Hear me out!

So when making this vegan arugula salad, where I decided to just add a sprinkling of quinoa as I did in my massaged kale quinoa salad, I thought this needed something unique.

Chickpea croutons were calling my name. Now I had never made chickpea croutons before, but I knew there was a can of chickpeas lurking in the kitchen somewhere and I simply felt the need to roast them. Not just roast them but toasty crispy crunchy roast them. That requires an additional few minutes of roasting.

The result? Perfectly crunchy chickpeas crisieys, chips, croutons, you name them what you want, they’re delicious. And then we’re talking arugula mixed with just a hint of quinoa, sun-dried tomatoes, and avocados.

Eating this vegan arugula salad is like having a party in your mouth. All day long. Yes! I know you’re going to love it too! Please let me know what you think in the comments below!

My other favorite salad is my Vegan Buffalo Salad. This vegan arugula salad would make for the perfect side dish to my Healthy Turkey Patties.

How to make my vegan arugula salad

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Vegan Arugula Salad with Chickpea Croutons {Gluten-Free}

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Vegan Arugula Salad with Chickpea Croutons is full of delicious flavors and makes for a perfect lunch or dinner meal. The crunchy chickpeas and sharp sun dried tomatoes mix perfectly with the other ingredients. Gluten-Free too.

Course: Entrée Salad, Lunch, Salad

Cuisine: Healthy, Vegan

Servings: 2

Calories: 336 kcal

Author: Vicky Berman

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas drained, rinsed, peeled, dried
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• dash garlic powder
• 3-5 ounces arugula
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
• 1 avocado diced and sprinkled with lemon juice
• 2/3 cup cooked quinoa
• salt/pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl mix chickpeas with cumin, smoked paprika, salt, garlic powder and olive oil.
2. Spread chickpeas in single layer on baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until chickpeas are slightly browned and crispy. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine arugula, sun dried tomatoes, avocado and quinoa. Toss until mixed. Add salt/pepper to taste.
4. Serve sprinkled with oven roasted chickpeas, sprinkled with additional olive oil as needed for the dressing.

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Arugula Salad with Chickpea Croutons {Gluten-Free}

Amount Per Serving

Calories 336 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 1255mg55%

Potassium 1692mg48%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Fiber 12g50%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 1520IU30%

Vitamin C 27.2mg33%

Calcium 121mg12%

Iron 4.8mg27%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.