Quinoa is a favorite food of mine for lunch. People often tell me they don’t like it, or that it tastes bland. You’re eating it all wrong people!! Plain quinoa isn’t exactly all that flavorful, but the secret is to treat it like it’s lettuce. Add whatever toppings you would normally put on a salad, throw on some dressing, and BOOM. Delicious lunch with a complete protein, and about twice as much fiber than most grains.
To save time, I make a cup of quinoa at the beginning of the week and put it in the fridge. Throughout the week, I’ll do different variations of salads, or sometimes just add it to a green salad. It’s best enjoyed making one plate at a time. Meaning, don’t make a large quinoa salad and eat a little every day. Only do it that way if you are making it so share with others. Creating new ways to eat quinoa is fun for me, because I love it every time!
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Mango Quinoa Salad with Mint Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- For the salad:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water or broth
- 1 mango chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves chopped
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1 grapefruit peeled and chopped
- 1 cup arugula for garnish
- For the dressing:
- Juice of 1 lime
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup vinegar
- 1 cup fresh mint
- Salt to taste
Instructions
-
Place water or broth and quinoa into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes (may take up to 20). Water should be completely absorbed by quinoa, and the quinoa should be fluffy without being mushy.
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Gently toss with fruit and mint.
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Mix salad dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender (alternatively you can chop the mint very fine, mix with the rest of the ingredients, and skip the food processor).
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Pour dressing onto salad and mix.
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Serve with almonds and top with arugula.
Recipe Notes
This recipe is best served immediately. If you plan on eating this over a few days, the best way is to keep the ingredients seperated and add them together before you eat.
This is yummy. The only thing I would add is that it tastes better if the quinoa is pre-cooked or cooled down before you add the rest of the salad with it.