Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Vegan | Gluten Free | Delicious
This is one of my go-to meal prep items during the summer because it's so easy to make in a large batch, and it is served cold so it's perfect for a hot summer day!
Quinoa is so underrated- it's high in protein (it contains all 9 essential amino acids), high in fiber and in antioxidants.
This recipe is vegan-friendly but feel free to jazz it up with chicken or shrimp if you don't have dietary restrictions. I love serving it at parties; it's always a crowd-pleaser.
If you are not vegan, I recommend cooking your quinoa in bone broth- not only does it increase the protein content significantly, but it tastes sooo good!
Ingredients:
-
1 cup uncooked organic quinoa, rinsed
-
2 cups broth or water (use bone broth for higher protein content if not vegan!)
-
1 organic cucumber, chopped into small pieces
-
2 cups organic cherry tomatoes, halved
-
1/4 cup thinly chopped red onion
-
1/3 cup thinly sliced kalamata olives
-
1/3 cup sliced pepperoncini peppers
-
2 T capers
-
3 T Primal Kitchen Greek Dressing, or greek dressing of choice
Instructions:
Cook the quinoa according to package instructions and allow to cool. In a large bowl, add the quinoa and then all of the veggies and dressing, stirring until well-mixed. If adding a protein, keep it separate until ready to serve. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Easy peasy!
Notes:
I prefer Primal Kitchen Greek Dressing because it's paleo and clean. You can find it at select HEB's, Whole Foods, and Central Market in the salad dressing aisle.There are a lot of great Greek dressings out there, just make sure you get one that doesn't contain soybean, vegetable, or canola oil.
If you are not sensitive to dairy, this would also taste great with some feta cheese!