Quinoa is a versatile protein rich food. I always find the quinoa pretty fascinating. They are actually seeds that look like and also taste like grains.
I used to find quinoa a bit intimidating to make. It feels like it’s some kind of superfood that only the next level fitness gurus are allowed to have it. No, you shouldn’t definitely feel like that.
Quinoa is a healthy high protein food with a bunch of health benefits which anyone can include it in their daily lives. What’s special about this superfood is, it’s also very easy to make. You can pretty much add any veggies that are available to you. In this simple recipe, I am using the most common veggies that you probably already have in your kitchen.
It’s a tasty vegan friendly meal.
Ingredients
Quinoa
Quinoa is the primary ingredients of this simple quinoa salad (yep, such a mind-blowing fact 😛). Quinoa is available in different colours, each offering a slightly different flavour and texture. I am using the mix of 3; white, red, and black quinoa.
I recommend the mixed quinoa for this simple salad as it gives that rich flavour and also enhances the appearance of it. I mean, look at it. Doesn’t this look amazing?
Veggies
No salad is complete without colourful veggies. I’m using carrots, cucumber, and avocado with red bell pepper to warm up the flavour.
Don’t forget the sweet and sour cherry tomatoes.
I have sprinkled some pomegranate seeds to add the crunchiness and enhance the flavour, but it’s optional.
Nuts
I recommend adding cashew in this salad to get the creamy flavour. If you don’t have cashew, you can add some almonds.
Cooking quinoa
Cooking quinoa requires two parts of water and one part of quinoa. While that’s still true, I’m only using one and half part of water. That’s because some water is already absorbed by quinoa after it’s washed.
Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until all the water is gone. Remember to cool down the cooked quinoa before mixing with the veggies. Use a plate or a large pot with a flat surface to spread the quinoa and speed up the cooling process.
Protein and calories in this quinoa salad
Quinoa is high in protein. With all the added nuts and veggies, this salad becomes a healthy and nutritious that is rich in protein and low in calories.
In one serve of this salad, you’re getting about 12g of protein and 450 calories.
Storage
It’s safe to put this salad in fridge and have it within 4 days. Enjoy it chilled or at room temperature.
Recipe
Simple Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1½ cup water
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup carrot
- ½ cup cherry tomato
- 1 cup cucumber
- ½ cup red pepper
- ¼ cup cashew
- ¼ cup pomegranate
- 1 piece avocado
Dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic Finely chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp lemon
Instructions
- First, take quinoa and put it into a saucepan.1 cup quinoa
- Rinse the quinoa with water two times.
- Add the water and salt into the saucepan.1½ cup water, ½ tsp salt
- Cook the quinoa over medium heat for about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Now, let's prepare the dressing. In a bowl, add the following ingredients.2 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 2 tbsp lemon, 3 cloves garlic
- Mix them well.
- When the quinoa is cooked, transfer it into a large salad bowl and let it cool down.
- While our quinoa is cooling down, let's prepare the vegetables.⅓ cup carrot, ½ cup cherry tomato, 1 cup cucumber, ½ cup red pepper, 1 piece avocado
- Add all the diced vegetables into the salad bowl. Then pour the dressing that we prepared earlier.
- Toss the mixture gently until well combined. Then, add pomegranate seeds and cashews, and mix one more time.¼ cup cashew, ¼ cup pomegranate
- Add extra dressing if you need more flavor or taste. For even more flavor, let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
