This quinoa salad recipe is yummy and easy to make! You will have salad for probably 3 meals. It’s my favorite thing to make, because I will have leftovers for the next couple of days. Also, it stays good in the refrigerator for up to four days. Everyone that I give this recipe to loves it and its gluten free, too! Feel free to have it as I meal or a side dish. It is also good to sometimes add chopped cooked chicken.
Ingredients
(All Organic When Possible):
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
2 cups water (for cooking quinoa)
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
5 large celery sticks, chopped
1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (from 1 large bunch)
1-2 cups of spinach
¼ cup olive oil
3 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1-2 tablespoon red wine or white vinegar (I use 2 tablespoon)
½ teaspoon fine sea salt (add more salt if necessary)
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Add feta or blue cheese to taste (optional)
Cooking Instructions
To cook the quinoa:
Combine the rinsed quinoa and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa until it has absorbed all of the water, about 15-18 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, to give it time to fluff up.
In a large serving bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, celery, spinach and parsley. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and salt. Whisk until blended, then set aside.
Once the quinoa is mostly cool, add it to the serving bowl, and drizzle the dressing on top. Add feta, toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Season with black pepper, to taste, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.