Bring quinoa and 2½ cups water to a boil in a small pot. Lower to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is cooked well. The quinoa should be mushy. Mix the quinoa vigorously in the pot until the grains break up and it starts to clump.
Transfer the quinoa into a mixing bowl and let it cool.
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and red onion. Allow this mixture to sit for about 10 minutes to soften the garlic and take the bite out of the red onion.
Add the chickpeas, red bell pepper, scallions, and the red onion mixture to the quinoa. Mix well and season with fresh ground pepper to taste.
Mold the quinoa mixture into patties. (You can make them any size you want! I like smaller for this salad, but large "burgers" work well too). Place the patties on a plate, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and cook the cakes until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes on each side.
Place mesclun in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix all of the ingredients for your lemon vinaigrette. Pour vinaigrette over the greens and toss.
Arrange salad on a plate and sprinkle with 2 tbsp crumbled goat cheese. Place quinoa cakes on top of the salad. Voila!