Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Cucumbers & Bell Peppers

Quinoa salad perfect for summer time!

Now that the weather has warmed up, I love to make a quinoa salad as both our side dish & veggie. When we’re cooking on the boat, we try to grill our protein and have our side dish all prepared for ease of prep & cleanup. Quinoa is very versatile and you can add any ingredients you like. Add a protein for a full meal.

If you haven’t cooked quinoa much, you want to make sure you rinse it first, otherwise it can taste bitter. Quinoa comes from the Andes and surprisingly it is not a grain.  What we are actually eating is the seed of the plant. It is in the goosefoot family, which also produces edibles such as chard and spinach.  Although we treat it like a grain, it is actually not at all.

These salads are so tasty, because the quinoa absorbs the dressing so well. The key to maximizing the flavor is to let the quinoa cool slightly and then add the dressing. Then mix in your veggies. You want to make sure that the quinoa is cooled off enough, that it doesn’t make the veggies soggy.

This past week, we had a friend over to our new apartment for dinner. She is on the FODMAP diet and this salad was perfect for her. As a result, she can’t eat any garlic, onions or cheese.  It was delicious, but if aren’t limited to ingredients, it’s best with minced garlic in the dressing, chopped red onion and crumbled feta cheese mixed in.

Be sure to check out the rest of our tasty recipes on our blog at www.boatingjourney.com/recipes

Enjoy! Ally

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Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Cucumbers & Bell Peppers Yum

This a delicious recipe for summer time that pairs great with most proteins. Be sure to make it at least one hour before serving so it marinates in the dressing.

Course

Side Dish

Cuisine

American

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

13 minutes

Passive Time

1 hour

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa rinsed
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow pepper
• 1 cup English cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and chopped
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach

Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

• 1 medium lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp ancho chili powder

Course Side Dish Cuisine American Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 13 minutes Passive Time 1 hour Servings people Ingredients 1 cup quinoa rinsed 2 cups water 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped yellow pepper 1 cup English cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and chopped 3 cups fresh baby spinach Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing 1 medium lemon, juiced 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1-2 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp fresh ground pepper 1/4 tsp ancho chili powder

Instructions

1. Rinse the quinoa. Bring quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a very low simmer and cover. Cook for about 13 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Remove lid and remove from heat. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Add lemon vinaigrette dressing (see recipe below), tossing gently. Add remaining vegetables.

   

Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

1. Whisk all the ingredients until blended well. Taste and adjust salt / pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

   

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