Healthy Green Quinoa Salad
This is an easy salad to put together, but so nourishing and satisfying. I often prepare the grains and dressing on a Sunday, so this only takes 10 minutes to put together when I want a quick midweek lunch or dinner.
Servings 4
Calories 626
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2.5 cups water or vegetable stock
- 2 cups baby spinach chopped
- 2 lebanese cucumbers diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 avocado diced into large pieces
- 3 spring onions finely sliced
- 0.5 cup almonds toasted & chopped
Dressing
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1 small shallot chopped
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 0.5 lemon juice squeezed
- 0.5 tsp caster sugar
- 0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa under water in a fine sieve. In a medium saucepan, place the quinoa, water or stock and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, strain the quinoa and let it sit. Fluff with a fork and let it cool down while you prep your other ingredients.1 cup quinoa, 2.5 cups water
- For the dressing: Add all the ingredients, except the olive oil, to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Whisk the olive oil through at the end. Add more seasoning if you wish.1 cup basil leaves, 1 clove garlic, 1 small shallot, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, 0.5 lemon, 0.5 tsp caster sugar, 0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil, sea salt
- To a large salad bowl, add the quinoa, spinach, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, avocado, spring onion and almonds. Drizzle over the dressing and gently combine.1 cup quinoa, 2.5 cups water, 2 cups baby spinach, 2 lebanese cucumbers, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 avocado, 3 spring onions, 0.5 cup almonds