Quinoa is a grain-like seed, one of the few vegetarian foods that contains a complete protein (all of the essential amino acids). It lends itself well to a quinoa salad!
When sprouted or fermented, quinoa is often tolerated well by those who follow a grain-free or gluten-free protocol. (I buy Thrive Market’s organic sprouted quinoa.)
Quinoa salad is a great way to incorporate quinoa into your diet. My son Ryan says it’s his go-to meal when he can’t cook at home. In his book Real Food Recipes for Millennials (find it here), Ryan offers this recipe for anyone looking to create a delicious and filling meal!
Quinoa Salad
(taken from the book Real Food Recipes for Millennials)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- Spices (chili powder blend, 1/2 tsp. salt, oregano, pepper)
- 1-2 tbsp. olive oil or toasted sesame oil
- Any vegetables you would enjoy (cucumber, celery, carrot)
- At least 1 tsp. lemon juice
Instructions:
- Use a fork to pulverize the avocado in a bowl.
- Add all ingredients into bowl.
- Mix with fork.
- Store and enjoy or just enjoy right away!
I usually put everything in a little Tupperware container and shake it up. It’s ready to take wherever you’re going. Maybe add some mustard. Get creative. What do you think would taste good with this?
Mistakes to Avoid*
- I’ve stored it in Tupperware along with lettuce. It’s GREAT with a salad, but if you store them in the same dish, the lettuce gets soggy.
- Too much avocado will turn brown after a little while if you’re saving it. Salt or lemon will help preserve the avocado. So if you want to add more of the avocado, just be sure to add more salt and/or lemon.
*Mistakes to Avoid is one of the unique aspects of Real Food Recipes for Millennials. Ryan not only follows each recipe with his mistakes, he also shares his health journey and perspective on food as a source of healing:
If you’re thinking to yourself, “I should eat healthier” or “I should try harder to stop eating fast food,” I don’t think you’re on the right track. I personally believe that something positive seldom comes from thinking the word “should.” If you do something you think you “should” do, then while you’re doing it, you can’t wait for it to end. And it’s even harder to repeat it later. When you do something you want to do, you find joy in it. When you have a strong desire to make a change and you seek it out, it is easier to do and it’s something you will continue to do. Because it’s just fun! Food can be that way.
Try this quinoa salad as a sandwich wrap! Wrap it in romaine lettuce or try a pre-made veggie wrap like this spirulina wrap.
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- Spices (chili powder blend, 1/2 tsp. salt, oregano, pepper)
- 1-2 tbsp. olive oil or toasted sesame oil
- Any vegetables you would enjoy (cucumber, celery, carrot)
- At least 1 tsp. lemon juice
Instructions
- Use a fork to pulverize the avocado in a bowl.
- Add all ingredients into bowl.
- Mix with fork.
- Store and enjoy or just enjoy right away!
That looks super delicious!!!!
Time to break out the quinoa. It’s been a while! Thanks for sharing.
This is what I’ll be having for dinner tonight! I’ve been trying to figure out how to get my quinoa to not taste so bitter for ages but nothing seems to help tho.. But i’ll still be eating a quinoa salad tonight!
Thanks for sharing this yummy and easy to make recipe.