Dinner ideas don’t have to be complicated or take hours to prepare! Are you looking for a simple dinner idea for those busy week nights? Try this simple Asparagus and Chickpea Salad to add some variety to your diet. Salads don’t have to be boring and this spinach and quinoa salad topped with chickpeas and sautéed asparagus is far from that. Never tried asparagus before? Well, there is no better time to try it than now, since asparagus is in season in May and June.

Asparagus is a delicious and simple vegetable to prepare that can be used in many ways. It is a good source of Vitamins C and A and folate. Folate is a B vitamin that the body can’t store, so be sure to include folate rich foods in your meal plan every day. These include dark green vegetables and dried legumes such as chickpeas and lentils. Folate is used to make red blood cells and inadequate levels in your body can result in a type of anemia. This can cause you to feel fatigue, weak, and have an inability to concentrate.

And then the chickpeas! Chickpeas are a good source of protein, fibre, and folate. They have a slight nutty taste to them and can be added to a variety of dishes including salads, soups, stir-fry, or make your own hummus. I always keep canned chickpeas on hand, as they are a convenient shelf stable item, but be sure to rinse them off before using. Rinsing them will reduce the sodium content by at least half.

Asparagus and Chickpea Salad

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• 1 tsp olive oil
• Spinach
• 1 (19 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup quinoa, cooked
• 1  bunch asparagus
• 1.5 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1.5 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup snap peas, cut in half
• 2 carrots, chopped
• Sweet chilli sauce

Directions

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Trim asparagus and cut into 2 inch pieces. Place in skillet along with broccoli, mushrooms, and snap peas. Sauté until vegetables are tender crisp.
4. Put bed of spinach on plate. Top with some quinoa, sautéed vegetables, carrots, and chickpeas.
5. Drizzle with sweet chilli sauce or dressing of your choice and enjoy!

Experiment with the veggies by adding some of your favourites. You can also switch up the dressing. I used a sweet chilli sauce, but a nice lemon vinaigrette would be really good too.