Super Quinoa Salad!

When I was thinking about my meal for this week’s recipe (after two weeks off, ooops) I knew I wanted to use quinoa in some way. At my shower over the weekend my cousin made an avocado salad that was so stinkin good and I knew I wanted to try and replicate that in some way. Her recipe had avocado, corn, tomatoes and cucumber in it but I’m not a fan of tomatoes and corn can hurt my stomach sometimes so I thought I would change it a little bit. I decided to mix the salad all together with a box of the sundried tomato quinoa to add that tomato flavor without the actual tomatoes.

Score! It was seriously so good!!!

First of all… let’s talk about Quinoa. I’m sure you have heard about it since it has become so popular lately. While I was at yoga last night I picked up some information about quinoa from the restaurant in the back of the yoga studio.

“Quinoa is often called the “Grain of the Gods” though it is actually a seed related to spinach, beets and swiss chard. It has a delicate taste and rich amounts of protein, iron, potassium and other vitamins and minerals. Quinoa is also a good source of dietary fiber and is easily digested.

A quinoa seed is flat and has a pointed oval shape. The seeds can be found in several different colors, including yellow, red, brown and black. When cooked, they expand to about three or four times their original size.

When preparing quinoa, rinse first to remove any powdery residue. For a roasted flavor, toast it in a dry skillet for about five minutes.”

So, there’s a little lesson on Quinoa thanks to the Sun Belly Cafe! :)

On to my recipe now… this was so easy and very healthy but also filling so I didn’t feel hungry after a small bowl.

Directions:

Cook the quinoa based on the instructions on the package.

While the quinoa is cooking slice all the veggies and avocado and place everything in a bowl.

{You can use anything you want to make this salad fit your liking}

Squeeze one lime over the top of the veggies and avocado.

Drizzle about a teaspoon of honey and a tablespoon of EVOO in the bowl.

Add a few grinds of salt and pepper.

Pour the cooked quinoa over the top and blend together evenly.

Enjoy!

Lately I haven’t been able to go a day without an avocado and if I do I seem to crave it. With the lime juice used in this salad your avocado won’t turn brown and you can have the leftovers for lunch. The flavors taste even better after the quinoa soaks up all the yummyness over night and I realized I liked it even more as a cold salad! Perfect lunch for those hot summer months. I think I might add some grilled chicken next time to add a little more texture but this easy vegetarian option is also delicious.

Mmmm, hope you enjoy this super simple and tasty recipe!