When I had my meal prep business, this salad was, hands down, the most popular salad on the menu! It has it all: the crunch of chopped veggies, creamy, rich avocado, the salty bite of feta cheese, and Kalamata olives, all tossed with quinoa and a light lemon vinaigrette. This Mediterranean quinoa salad is so delicious, it’s hard to stop at just one, two, or 20 bites! But that is probably okay because the ingredients in this salad are so nutritious.
Sweet peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers are all packed with vitamins and minerals.
Avocado is full of omega-3 fatty acids. It is heart healthy, anti-inflammatory, and helps us feel full.
Quinoa is gluten-free and contains 8 grams of plant-based protein. It is actually a complete protein, containing all 9 of the essential amino acids. It is also loaded with fiber, folate, zinc, antioxidants and it anti-inflammatory.
Quinoa: Grain or Seed?
But let’s talk about quinoa for a moment, shall we? What is it? It usually gets lumped into the grain category, but quinoa is, in fact, a seed. It is a ‘pseudo grain’ because it is not a true grass and is more closely related to spinach, beets, and swiss chard. So, is quinoa SCD legal? It depends on what you read. The legal/illegal list calls it ‘illegal’ while many other websites say its legal. My personal opinion: our daughter eats it on occasion. She tried it after being on the diet for over 4 years and only because her belly was effectively healed with no observable inflammation. Every belly is different. So, if you do decide to try any new food, proceed slowly and really take note of how that new food makes you feel.
If you are not strictly following the SCD lifestyle, this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad needs to be on this week’s lunch rotation!
This crunchy, lemony, satisfying quinoa salad will have you at the first bite! It is made with fresh, whole ingredients, packed with protein and nutrients and the perfect dish to keep in the fridge to munch on all week.
Ingredients
Scale
1/2 cup dry Quinoa
1 cup Cherry tomatoes- halved or quartered (depending on size)
1/2 Cucumber (English or seedless preferred)- chopped
1 Sweet bell pepper- chopped
1/2 cup Parsley or cilantro- chopped
15 Kalamata olives- pitted and halved
1/4 cup Feta cheese- crumbled
1 Avocado- chopped
3 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Lime or Lemon- juiced
1 Garlic clove- minced
1/2 Tbsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Salt
Instructions
To Cook Quinoa:
Rinse dry quinoa under cool water.
Add 1.5 times the amount of water to a sauce pan, add dry quinoa and bring to a boil.
Cover and reduce to a simmer for 12-15 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
*The quinoa package instructions call for 2 cups of liquid per cup of dry quinoa. I have reduced it for this recipe so that the quinoa will soak up some of the dressing*
To Make the Dressing:
Mince the clove of garlic.
Add the garlic to the juice of 1 lime or lemon, olive oil, cumin and salt.
Whisk until well combined.
To Assemble the Salad:
Chop the tomatoes, cucumber and peppers into equal bite sized pieces. Chop the parsley and half the olives.
Add all of the chopped ingredients, feta cheese and slightly warm cooked quinoa to a bowl.
Stir in the dressing.
Gently mix in the chopped avocado last to avoid smashing the delicate flesh.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This dish keeps well for days and actually gets better as the flavors combine.
Notes
* I prefer my salads more veggie heavy, so I have reduced the amount of quinoa over time. Feel free to increase the amount of dry quinoa (up to 1 cup) to your liking.
Love it! It’s so colorful!
★★★★★