That moment when you try fennel for the first time and you’re all like 
And then immediately find a way to build an entire meal around it. True story: This Sweet Potato Fennel Salad w/ Quinoa & Chickpeas will knock your socks off!
“But, why?”, you ask. Well, let me tell you!
- SWEET POTATOES. Need I say more?
- All the healthy things.
- Quinoa & Chickpeas for added protein and feel-good energy!
- FENNEL.
If you’ve never had fennel, it’s a bulbous vegetable with leaves that look similar to dill. It’s flavor is warm, sweet, and yet it has a little bit of a kick to it! It also has a licorice taste that will totally change your view on life. Apparently, you can use every part of the vegetable (including the bulb). But I wouldn’t know anything about that (YET)! I just used the wispy top for this salad 
And, just sayin’, if you’ve been following my “how to start loving salads” advice (noted on the Beet Buckwheat Salad w/ Kale, Cabbage, & Carrots recipe) you know how important it is to get creative and make your salads as colorful and diverse as possible! Cue sweet potatoes! Let’s get some orange in there, shall we? Not to mention that sweet potatoes make the world go ’round.
Now let’s talk about the chickpeas. Personally, I’m 100% ok using these delicious canned organic chickpeas! However, you can also buy these uncooked chickpeas and make them yourself. Let’s get started on this delicious Sweet Potato Fennel Salad!
Have you ever had fennel? Do you like it? Cody said he liked it in the salad but not on it’s own. I, however, loved it both ways!
- 2 sweet potatoes
- ¼ cup dry quinoa
- ⅓ cup chickpeas
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 sprigs fresh fennel
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Peel and cube the sweet potatoes.
- On a baking tray, lay the cubed sweet potatoes flat and spray with coconut oil. Sprinkle a little bit of sea salt over them, then bake for about 30 minutes.
- While the sweet potatoes are baking, cook the quinoa according to directions (using ½ cup of water).
- Once the sweet potatoes are soft and the quinoa has cooked, put the salads together by layering the romaine lettuce, sweet potatoes, quinoa, chickpeas, olive oil, and fennel.
- Serve and enjoy!
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