This salad is bursting with colors, textures, taste, and nutrients. I love the contrast of cooked and raw veggies with the chickpeas. The meat is optional, feel free to skip it or replace it with any other protein of choice. Chickpeas themselves are filled with protein, fiber, and starch, so even without the meat, you’ve got a balanced, filling meal.

Directions

Prepare the Salad

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius).

2. Place each vegetable, sliced, into a separate baking pan. Coat vegetables in avocado oil. Season well with sea salt and pepper. Roast to a crisp texture, then let cool.

3. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Pat dry with paper towels and spread on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and toss with spices and salt. Bake for 20–22 minutes until crunchy.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the skirt steaks: Over low heat, sauté the steaks in avocado oil and soy sauce, mixing periodically. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

5. For the dressing, place all ingredients in a mini food processor and mix until a thick dressing consistency forms. If it’s pasty, it’s too thick. Add one tablespoon of water at a time until desired consistency is reached.

To Assemble

1. Arrange radish slices on two plates.

2. Place the roasted asparagus spears on two sides of the plate, adding the salad greens on top. Arrange the roasted vegetables over the salad.

3. Top the vegetables with skirt steak strips and drizzle a generous amount of dressing over everything. Top with roasted chickpea croutons for great crunch and flavor!

Notes:

To clean green asparagus from insects, the tips as well as the triangular side leaves should be cut off and discarded. The easiest way to remove these side leaves is to peel the entire asparagus (make sure to get thick ones!).