Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under hot water in a fine sieve, then cook it with water and a little salt for 12–15 min. Let the steam escape and leave to cool.
Drain the chickpeas, pat them dry well and roast them in a frying pan with olive oil and curry powder until lightly golden brown.
Quarter the cherry tomatoes, deseed the cucumber and cut it into small dice. Halve the avocado, remove the stone and cut it into pieces. Finely chop the parsley.
For the dressing, stir the lemon juice with olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley.
Mix the quinoa with the chickpeas, tomatoes and cucumber in a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss everything loosely.
To serve, put the avocado on top of the salad and finish with a little extra parsley and lemon juice if needed.
Good to know
This salad simply tastes great. Fresh, creamy and with enough substance that it never feels like a side dish.
Swaps
Quinoa → buckwheat (similar mineral content, gluten-free); chickpeas → white beans (mild, also contain fibre); parsley → coriander (also contains vitamin K, stronger flavour).
Allergens
The recipe is naturally gluten-free, as long as the quinoa hasn't been contaminated with gluten-containing grains. Well suited to children; during pregnancy make sure the ingredients are well washed and the avocado is fresh and undamaged.
