Jennifer Aniston Protein Salad (Printable Version)

Vibrant salad blending grains, chickpeas, fresh vegetables, creamy feta, herbs, and crunchy nuts.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa or bulgur, uncooked
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) feta cheese, crumbled

→ 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 Make It:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture play is ridiculous—creamy feta against crunchy nuts, fluffy grains, and crisp cucumber makes every bite interesting
  • It actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge, making it the ultimate meal prep secret weapon
02 -
  • The garlic can taste harsh if you add it right before serving—let the dressing sit for at least ten minutes or use garlic powder instead for a mellower flavor
  • Feta brands vary wildly in saltiness, so start with less salt in the dressing and add more only after you've tasted the finished salad with cheese included
03 -
  • Double the dressing and keep it in a jar in the fridge—it's great on simple green salads or roasted vegetables throughout the week
  • If you're meal prepping, store the toasted nuts separately and add them right before serving so they stay crunchy instead of becoming soggy
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