FOODIE FRIDAY: QUINOA SALAD

Hi Guys,

This past week my go-to favourite food has been this quinoa salad. If you don’t feel like cooking, you can reach for a bowl of this from the fridge. It is so satisfying and nutritious too! Quinoa is a great alternative to rice and is considered a ‘super grain’ in that it is gluten-free, provides almost double the protein of brown rice and is a good source of fibre too. Alternatively, you can use couscous for this salad too.

I add two cups of boiling water to the contents of this box of quinoa (200 g). For added flavour I add a vegetable stock cube to the water. Simmer and let it cook for about 15 minutes. Then fluff up and allow to cool completely.

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:

Cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh basil, pitted black olives, sweet yellow pepper, 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (less or more depending on taste), crushed garlic. Olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

Chop up some cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives and sweet yellow pepper. Add to the quinoa. I also like to add some shredded fresh basil for extra yummy flavour! You can add as much or as little of the veggies, depending on taste. I like lots of garlic so crush two large cloves into the dressing. Dressing for 2 cups of cooked quinoa and salad is usually 3 tablespoons of extra virgin oil to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Add more if you like the salad moist. Tastes may vary. You can also add some crushed black pepper to the dressing. I don’t as I like the garlic to dominate the show! Garlic is another ‘super food’. The more the merrier – except in ice cream lol!

On lazy days, it’s great to have a big container of this quinoa salad in your fridge, It keeps very well in the fridge and is very filling! The other day I added some of this mix to a felafel wrap and it was delicious! I toasted it and added some yummy mayonnaise so it wasn’t too dry. Lots you can do with this versatile and filling salad!

EnJOY!

Hugs,
Patricia xx