Jennifer Aniston Vibrant Salad (Printable)

A protein-packed salad with quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, feta, herbs, and toasted nuts for a healthy boost.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa or bulgur
02 - 2 cups water

→ Legumes

03 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 large cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

→ Dairy

06 - 3/4 cup (100 g) crumbled feta cheese

→ Herbs

07 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

→ Nuts & Seeds

09 - 1/3 cup pistachios or slivered almonds, toasted and roughly chopped

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

# How-To:

01 - Rinse quinoa or bulgur thoroughly. In a medium saucepan, combine with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender—about 12 minutes for quinoa or 15 minutes for bulgur. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix the cooled quinoa or bulgur with chickpeas, diced cucumber, chopped red onion, crumbled feta, parsley, mint, and toasted nuts.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes even better the next day.
  • One salad checks the box for protein, veggies, and whole grains—no side dishes required.
  • The mint and parsley keep things bright and fresh, never heavy or forgettable.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than an hour before eating it, or the cucumber will start to weep and dilute everything.
  • If you're making it ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss it in just before serving—the grain actually absorbs flavors beautifully overnight if you do.
03 -
  • Toast your own nuts instead of buying them pre-toasted—they'll taste fresher and you can control exactly how golden they get.
  • Squeeze the lemon juice fresh every single time; it's the difference between a salad that tastes bright and one that tastes flat.
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