Veggie Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing
I’m not sure what the weather is like where you are, but here the sun has been shining and when I go for my runs I smell the smoke of a charcoal grill and BBQ chicken. Just yesterday when I went to the store, they finally had watermelons out. Spring/summer is here!
One of my favorite food-related things about summer is going to a picnic that has a whole buffet of fun side dishes. So many different types of salads - pasta salads, potato salad, cabbage slaw salad, bean salad, fruit salad… I could go on forever!
Quinoa salad is great for me personally, because I’m gluten-sensitive. This particular salad helps me to stay away from those tempting pasta salads and not feel sick and bloated later that day.
Serves 4 (meal) or 8-10 (side dish)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c quinoa (uncooked)
15 asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces
1 c cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 6oz can black olives, halved
5oz cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large bell pepper (I used 5 mini sweets), chopped
3oz (1/2 bag) baby spinach
3oz crumbled feta
1 T fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 T shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lemon, juice
1 T olive oil
1/4 t pepper
1/8 t salt
Directions
Start by cooking the quinoa according to package directions (1 1/2 c quinoa, 3 c water, bring to a boil, cover and let cook for 20 minutes, fluff with a fork).
Meanwhile in a small pan on medium heat cook the asparagus and mushrooms with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook for about 6 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Toss the asparagus, mushrooms, olives, tomatoes, peppers, baby spinach, feta and parsley in a large bowl. The heat of your cooked veggies should help to wilt the spinach a little.
Make the dressing by mixing the shallots, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, pepper and salt.
Add the cooked quinoa and dressing to the bowl of veggies and toss together.
Notes:
Gluten-free: This recipe is gluten-free.
Dairy-free: This recipe is dairy-free if you omit the feta or use a non-dairy substitute.
Olives: Since this dish has mediterranean flavors, kalamata olives are also a great option.
Veggies: Be creative with what veggies you use! Use up whatever is in your fridge or play with some colorful veggies you’ve never had before. The possibilities are endless.