Healthy Loaded Kale Salad with Spicy Chickpeas
This Healthy Loaded Kale Salad with Spicy Chickpeas recipe is truly a bowl full of goodness! It’s the perfect meal for any occasion and is made with whole, real ingredients. It comes fully loaded with roasted veggies, brown rice, quinoa, kale, and spicy chickpeas and tossed in your favorite vegan dressing. Vegan and Gluten-Free.
Whelp, it’s Monday and it’s time to dig right into the work week. Who’s excited? Haha. I know.
But I do hope that by me sharing this recipe with you, helps you to kick start the week in great spirits.
Not to mention, it’s Mental Illness Awareness Week (which started yesterday, 10/7) and Columbus Day, so if you get a chance to enjoy the Holiday off, be sure to get some rest and good ole’ self-care! Of course, I know that there might be a ton of shopping sales, so enjoy that too!
Again, with Mental Illness Awareness Week in full swing, be sure to check in on your loved one and those who you know might be suffering in silence. Most times, they just need to know that someone is there to support, be a listening ear, or a helping hand in whatever way possible.
OK, so I must admit that my weekend has been CRAZY! It was so jam-packed that my body is screaming, “Give me a break!”. I spent the weekend getting a bit of work done, catching up on things I couldn’t do while I was sick (including my podcast), AND a boat load of recipes! Ok, more like 6 recipes in 2 days, but who’s counting?
By the way, if you haven’t seen any of my podcasts on FB Live, head over to our FB Page and catch up! You won’t want to miss out the conversation!
Oh and if your a fan of chickpeas like I am then you’ll thoroughly appreciate this Vegan Chickpea + Broccoli Mashed Potato Bowl which comes based with creamy mashed potatoes and topped with a spicy BBQ Sriracha Chickpea and Broccoli combination.
Then there’s this Vegan Chickpea + Quinoa ‘Meatballs’ + Polenta recipe which is truly something special. This dish is so flavorful that you wouldn’t even remember that you’re not eating any meat.
This Roasted Plantain + BBQ Chickpea Vegan Bowl is definitely one of my favorites as well and I’m sure that you’ll enjoy that it comes packed with a sweet + spicy side of chickpeas, fresh spinach, baked sweet potatoes, snow peas, and a twist of oven roasted sweet plantains.
Now, back to our regular conversation! So, I can’t believe that the holidays are right around the corner. Are you just as shocked and appalled as I am? This equates to gifts, a ton of baking and cooking, winter, snow (here in NYC), more frigid cold, and all that good stuff! How inane, right?
While it’s definitely a time that requires a lot of attention to detail and energy, I’m super excited about it. It’s a time to appreciate all the things that you have/don’t have and this year, I’d love to do things bit different. I’m currently planning a few things and will definitely keep you guys posted as time goes on.
Anyway, let’s dig right into this bowl of deliciousness, shall we?
Pre heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Toss all veggies (chickpeas included) into a bowl with 2 Tbsps of extra virgin olive oil and place them onto a baking sheet (divided into groups by veggie type). Sprinkle veggies with sea salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, cumin, garlic powder, and parsley. **NOTE: You can use parchment paper if preferred, however, I chose to go without since my baking sheet is non-stick. It gives them a nice char on their backs.**
Bake veggies for 20-25 minutes until well roasted and slightly charred.
While veggies are baking, cook your brown rice and quinoa according to packaging.
Prep kale by removing leaves from stem and finely chopping them and rinsing them off.
In a large bowl, add chopped kale, brown rice, quinoa, and your favorite vegan dressing, tossing all ingredients together until well combined.
Once veggies are fully roasted, remove them from oven and add them into the mixture (except for the chickpeas).
Add 1 Tbsp of grapeseed oil OR extra virgin olive oil to a medium skillet on medium-high heat. Add roasted chickpeas to skillet and add buffalo sauce (vegan-approved) and maple syrup, tossing them until chickpeas are fully dressed. Keep heat on high, stirring occasionally until sauce becomes “glaze-like” and no longer liquid-y.
Once done, remove from heat and add to kale mixture. Toss again until everything is evenly combined and serve into bowls, garnishing with sesame seeds if desired.
Bon Appetite!
Ingredients
- 2-3 large carrots, cut into rounds + rinsed
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained + rinsed
- 1 cup plum tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil + 1 Tbsp for cooking (Can also use Grapeseed Oil)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- A few handfuls kale, sliced thinly
- sesame seeds, optional
- Favorite Vegan dressing
- Vegan Buffalo sauce, homemade or store-bought (See Notes!)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Toss all veggies (chickpeas included) into a bowl with 2 Tbsps of extra virgin olive oil and place them onto a baking sheet (divided into groups by veggie type). Sprinkle veggies with sea salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, cumin, garlic powder, and parsley. **NOTE: You can use parchment paper if preferred, however, I chose to go without since my baking sheet is non-stick. It gives them a nice char on their backs.**
- Bake veggies for 20-25 minutes until well roasted and slightly charred.
- While veggies are baking, cook your brown rice and quinoa according to packaging.
- Prep kale by removing leaves from stem and finely chopping them and rinsing them off.
- In a large bowl, add chopped kale, brown rice, quinoa, and your favorite vegan dressing, tossing all ingredients together until well combined.
- Once veggies are fully roasted, remove them from oven and add them into the mixture (except for the chickpeas).
- Add 1 Tbsp of grapeseed oil OR extra virgin olive oil to a medium skillet on medium-high heat. Add roasted chickpeas to skillet and add buffalo sauce (vegan-approved) and maple syrup, tossing them until chickpeas are fully dressed. Keep heat on high, stirring occasionally until sauce becomes "glaze-like" and no longer liquid-y.
- Once done, remove from heat and add to kale mixture. Toss again until everything is evenly combined and serve into bowls, garnishing with sesame seeds if desired.
- Bon Appetite!
Tips & Tricks
- 1/2 cup of vegan butter
- 2/3 cup hot pepper sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsps white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
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Healthy Loaded Kale Salad with Spicy Chickpeas.
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When I was vegetarian, I always used chickpeas in my salads. I could eat them straight out of the can! I love that this salad also uses rice and quinoa – so good!
Yes, I love chickpeas also Lauren! They are so amazing! And I love using rice and quinoa in a lot of my dishes! They just work perfectly!
I love a good salad and this one is no exception! Your photos are gorgeous, too! Saving it for later!
Thanks so much, Nicole! I love a good salad too, especially since there’s such a misconception of salads being boring. I just love their versatility!
I love all the ingredients in this healthy salad and will make the perfect weekday lunch.
It surely does make for a great lunch also! It’s so easy to put together!
I love using kale as the greens in my salad. It has so much more texture to it compared to regular lettuce.
I so agree, Danielle! It has become my newest fave!
Greta recipe! I love anything with chickpeas. And I can’t believe the holidays are almost here either. It happens so fast!
Yes, Chickpeas are the best! And I know right—the Holidays came by swiftly!