This cool quinoa salad is a perfectly healthy side dish for summer cookouts! There are endless variations and additions you can make to this recipe, so experiment away!
Here’s how I did it based on my mother’s recipe:
2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (see notes below)
1 small cucumber
1-2 green onions, chopped small
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh squeezed or bottled will work)
¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper (may need to add more salt according to taste)
1-2 tablespoons each fresh parsley, mint, and basil (alt: use ½-1 tablespoon dried)
Optional: 1 small chopped tomato (for the salad pictured, I did not use tomato. But it’s really good with the added tomato!)
Add all the ingredients, give it a good stir, and serve!
Notes on quinoa: I cooked mine the night before and kept it cool in the fridge until I mixed this quick salad up.
This is perfect on a hot summer day. Sometimes a cold salad is just what you need to refresh and cool off.
Quinoa is a complete protein, having twice the protein as rice. It’s high in iron, folate, magnesium, and fiber! So make frequent use of this healthy carb option!
The fresh veggies hydrating and refreshing. The lemon juice and fresh herbs just make you feel light and cool.
This is also a good way to get your dose of fresh raw garlic. I always like to find a way to include that as much as I can.
Mix this up for yourself and add some cooked lean meat like chicken breast for a quick and yummy lunch! (When it’s too hot outside for anything else!)
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