This quinoa salad is filled with fresh summery ingredients that are just bursting in color and flavor. I usually make a big batch the beginning of the week, and my husband Travis and I have it for lunch two or three days in a row. Travis's favorite thing to do with this salad is scoop it on to lime flavored tortilla ships, and use it as a dip. YUM!
Having a hard time draining the small grains of quinoa? Check out the bottom of the post on what tool to use to do it successfully. Enjoy!
*This recipe is from July/August 2010 Vegeterian Times Magazine. Check them out on the web @ vegeteriantimes.com
Corn Quinoa Salad Recipe
Serves: 8 Prep: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of fresh corn kernels (2 ears)
1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup red cabbage, finely chopped
1 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 TB maple syrup
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1. Bring quinoa, salt and 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until water is absorbed. Set aside, covered for 10 more minutes
2. Meanwhile, for the dressing, mix olive oil through salt in a blender or with a whisk in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, place corn through cucumber in it, add quinoa. Mix well. Add dressing and mix well. Serve warm or cold...or like my hubby with tortilla chips!
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Plan and Prep Ahead
Here are some helpful techniques to make life a little easier once dinner time hits. These tips will especially help those that work full-time and don't have a lot of time to prepare dinner.
1 1/2 cups of fresh corn kernels (2 ears)
1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup red cabbage, finely chopped
1 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 TB maple syrup
1 TB Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1. Bring quinoa, salt and 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until water is absorbed. Set aside, covered for 10 more minutes
2. Meanwhile, for the dressing, mix olive oil through salt in a blender or with a whisk in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, place corn through cucumber in it, add quinoa. Mix well. Add dressing and mix well. Serve warm or cold...or like my hubby with tortilla chips!
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Plan and Prep Ahead
Here are some helpful techniques to make life a little easier once dinner time hits. These tips will especially help those that work full-time and don't have a lot of time to prepare dinner.
~Chop veggies ahead of time.
~Make dressing ahead of time and keep in fridge.
~Make quinoa ahead of time.
~Make the whole salad ahead of time, and keep refrigerated until time of use.
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Who likes to CHANGE IT UP?
~Instead of tomatoes, try red bell pepper.
~Mix in some agave syrup instead of maple syrup.
~Use green cabbage instead of red.
~Try white or red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice.
~Swap out rice, barley or your favorite grain instead of quinoa.
~Swap out rice, barley or your favorite grain instead of quinoa.
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How to drain Quinoa
Have you ever spilled any quinoa on the counter top or floor? Let me tell you, it is no fun trying to clean them up, since they are such small grains. I have found that a metal-mesh colander works best where the holes are too small for the quinoa to fit through. I bought mine from our local grocery store, but you can check out ones like this one from amazon.
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