Have you ever tried quinoa as the base for a salad? Quinoa is often referred to as a grain, when in fact it is a seed. It makes an excellent replacement for potatoes, rice or pasta because it is incredibly rich in fibre and plant-based protein. It will make you feel full and satisfied for a long time, and help you to maintain your ideal weight. You can serve it with raw vegetables like this Mexican Fiesta Quinoa Salad or combine it with fruit and nuts as a hearty breakfast. Delicious!
Mexican Fiesta Quinoa Salad
SERVES: 2 people
EQUIPMENT: cooking pot, stove, fine-mesh strainer, large mixing bowl
INGREDIENTS:
Quinoa
2 cups of cooked quinoa
2 tablespoons of lime juice
1 teaspoon of maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon of Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt, or more to taste
2 large pinches of cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Vegetable Mix
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup of cucumber, seeded (optional) and diced
½ cup of sweet corn
¼ cup of zucchini, diced
¼ cup of fresh cilantro, minced (start with less if you’re not accustomed to the taste)
2 stalks of spring onion, finely sliced
1 small avocado, roughly diced
DIRECTIONS:
- Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it with cool water.
- Combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water in a cooking pot and bring to a rolling boil. Lower the heat and cook covered for 5 to 10 minutes until the quinoa starts to ‘bloom’.
- Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the stove.
- Pour away any excess water and leave to cool. You can also rinse the quinoa with cold water.
- Add lime juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Mix well.
- Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, sweet corn, zucchini, cilantro and spring onion. Mix again.
- Finally, add the avocado and mix until well combined.
JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:
This Mexican Fiesta Quinoa Salad will stay fresh for at least 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, although it will lose part of its taste and it can become watery because of the salt. If you would like to take the salad with you to work or on a trip, put the dressing in a small glass jar and add it right before serving.
Now I would love to hear from you! What’s your favorite quinoa salad? I can’t wait to hear about your flavor combinations so let me know by leaving a comment down below.
Are you crazy about quinoa salads? Try this Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Pear & Avocado too!
