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Summer Glow Quinoa Salad – for when you want to eat healthy and not be sad about it! This salad is loaded with fresh summer produce and can easily be customized with your favorite grains and veggies.
Okay, this recipe is SO simple that I almost feel weird about sharing it. But it’s also really good so how could I not share it! This salad is basically your blank canvas. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure salad. I call it Summer Glow Quinoa Salad not because it will literally make you glow (but wouldn’t that be neat!) but because it’s loaded with fresh good-for-you ingredients that make healthy eating a little less drab!
Use whatever grains you want – farro, couscous, rice, and quinoa are all great options. I prefer a mix of quinoa and brown rice. Choose whatever veggies you want, too! I went with a mix of fresh cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and a nice ripe avocado!
The secret to this recipe is all in the dressing. It’s an easy number that you shake up in a jar and pour over the top of the salad for that added zing factor. Fresh, lemony, zingy – yum! The cherry on top with this dressing is the fresh parsley!
I love adding fresh parsley to dressings and salads like this because it adds an extra pop of flavor! It’s super convenient that I happen to have my own little herb garden on our patio (thanks, Mom!). If you don’t have your own herbs, please stop reading this and go to the store NOW and get yourself some. Rosemary, basil, thyme, sage, and parsley – your basic green thumb starter pack.
It’s a lot more inexpensive to have a planter full of fresh herbs on your own porch than to buy a little pack of herbs at the store every time you want to use them in a recipe. Trust me – I learned the hard way. And I’m not a gardener by any means – but these are pretty basic herbs that are pretty easy to keep alive.
Pro tip: If you have an Aldi nearby, they sell boxes that have a mix of brown rice and quinoa with different seasoning packets. I really like them because they’re just the perfect amount of grains for me! Buying big containers of quinoa, etc. is also a good idea if you consume lots of those grains.
Happy salad-making, friends!
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Summer Glow Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup grain of your choice, I used half brown rice and half quinoa
- salt + pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- FOR THE DRESSING:
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 drizzle of honey
- salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the grains: Cook your grains of choice according to package directions. Season with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Adjust to taste. Add to a medium mixing bowl.
- Make the dressing: Mix all dressing ingredients together in a small jar or tupperware container. Making sure the lid is tightly secured, shake it up until combined. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Assemble: Stir the dressing and the prepared veggies together with the grains. Enjoy!
- Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
everything but the avocado – yes I’m one of those that truly does not understand the avocado obsesseion 🙂