I am always looking for a quick and healthy dinners for busy weeknights. Quinoa Greek salad is a healthy, colourful and refreshing salad that comes together in less than 30 minutes. It is loaded with the goodness of creamy avocados, crisp cucumbers, red bell peppers, juicy tomatoes, tangy kalamata olives, feta, quinoa and a tangy and flavorful dressing. I have added quinoa as my source of protein. You can prep the veggies except the avocados as a part of your weekend meal prep to make your weeknights seem seamless. Quinoa also can be cooked in advance and used as a vegetarian source of protein.
A well know saying is “We eat with our eyes first”. Visual appearance of a dish have been known to change the perception of taste, smell, and flavor. Color is the most obvious visual cue. This salad is so colorful, you will want to eat it right away.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 head romaine lettuce, torn or chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 english cucumber, peeled and diced
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- 1 large avocado, peeled and sliced
- 5 ounces feta cheese, 1/2 inch diced
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced in rounds
Dressing ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (or 2 tbsp red wine vinegar)
- 1 garlic clove, minced finely
- 1 tsp kosher salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Rinse the quinoa under cold water to remove its bitterness. In a saucepan, add 1 3/4 water, quinoa and a pinch of salt on a medium flame. Let it come to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, cover with a lid and let it cook on low flame for about 10-15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. Fluff it with a fork.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, red bell pepper, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, english cucumber, red onion, avocado, kalamata olives and feta cheese.
- In a small glass jar, add the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper and shake to combine. Taste the dressing to check for seasoning.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Mix gently and set aside in the refrigerator for atleast 30 minutes for the flavours to combine.
