Lemony Artichoke and Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 fresh lemon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 1 can quartered artichoke hearts
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 can chickpeas

Directions

1. Wash the quinoa thoroughly using a fine-mesh sieve. Transfer it to a pot and pour in 1.75 cups water. Cover the pot, set it over high heat, and bring the water up to a boil. When the boil is steady, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
2. As the quinoa cooks, make the lemon garlic dressing. Grate the zest from the lemon, then juice it; the juice should measure 1/4 to 1/3 cup. In a bowl or jar, combine the lemon juice, 1 tsp of zest, the olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and freshly cracked pepper, using 10-15 turns of a pepper mill. Whisk, or seal the jar and shake, until the dressing comes together. Set it aside.
3. When the quinoa is done, scatter it into a casserole dish or another broad, shallow dish. Slide it into the refrigerator, uncovered, for about 15 minutes so it cools faster.
4. While that chills, get the remaining salad components ready. Drain the artichoke hearts, then chop them roughly into smaller bits. Cut the red bell pepper into a fine dice. Chop the parsley roughly. Rinse the chickpeas and drain them. In a large bowl, gather the chopped artichoke hearts, diced bell pepper, parsley, and chickpeas.
5. Once the quinoa is cool, tip it into the large bowl with the salad ingredients. Fold everything together gently, then pour the lemon garlic dressing across the top. Toss softly once more, just until the dressing is distributed throughout. Serve right away, or store in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.