Cooking Quinoa » Quinoa Salad

Thai Black Rice & Quinoa Salad

Wendy Polisi — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:05:05 +0000

Lately I’ve been feeling that the quinoa salad recipes I make for the family on a regular basis have gotten a little…redundant. Not that they aren’t super yummy, but when you eat quinoa as much as we do after a while it can get a little boring. So, I decided to liven things up a bit! This Thai Black Rice & Quinoa Salad is flavor packed and just what I was needing to mix things up. It had the hubby saying “This is really good” (as if he’s surprised…..hmmmphh–foot stomp!) multiple times every time I served it.

I really loved the way the herbs, mango and pepper played against each other to create a slightly hot sweet and spicy dish. If you want to turn up the heat a bit, you could always drizzle it with more hot sauce. (We found it perfect as written.) On the other hand, if you shy away from heat you may want to use less hot sauce and omit the crushed red pepper.

Now be warned – this recipe makes a lot! It’s perfect for those of you who are looking to cook lunches ahead but if you are single and eat lunch out you may want to half the recipe…or else you could find yourself getting bored with it before you have eaten it all!

Recipe adapted from Clean Eating Magazine.

Thai Black Rice and Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup Forbidden Black Rice
Pinch of Pure Himalayan Salt
3 cups vegetable broth
¼ cup Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil, optional
3 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons tamari (use gluten free if you are avoiding gluten)
1 tablespoon agave nectar (or sweetener of choice)
2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Oil
1 tablespoon Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce(make sure GF)
5 cloves garlic, minced (more or less to taste)
½ teaspoon Pure Himalayan Salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 mango, peeled pitted and diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
½ cup fresh cilantro (coriander), chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
6 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
4 tablespoons Raw Almonds , chopped
4 tablespoons sesame seeds ( I used Eden Organic Garlic and Sea Salt Sesame Seeds..LOVE THEM!

In a large saucepan combine rice, vegetable broth and a pinch of sea salt. Bring to a boil. Add rinsed quinoa and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit covered for five more minutes. Spread rice and quinoa mixture onto a baking sheet and allow to cool. Note: One thing that surprised me was that the rice did stain the quinoa. If you want to see the contrast in color, cook them separately. Also, make sure you check the rice package for cooking time. Mine said 25-30 minutes but if you have a different type of black rice it could take longer.
Meanwhile make dressing by combining rice vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, tamari, agave nectar, sesame oil, Sriracha, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender or whisk together in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine mango, red pepper, cilantro, mint and green onions. Add rice/quinoa mixture and toss with ¾ of the dressing. (Use remaining dressing to drizzle on top or save it for leftovers.) Top with almonds and sesame seeds and serve at room temperature or chilled. Salad does very well in the refrigerator so it is great for planned leftovers!

Preparation time: 20 minute(s)

Cooking time: 35 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegan

Diet tags: Gluten free (Make sure your Sriracha and Tamari are gluten free. I use an organic Sriracha that says its GF.)

Number of servings (yield): 8

Culinary tradition: Thai

Calories: 278

Fat: 9.2

Protein: 9.8

Carbohydrates: 41.9

Fiber:4.9

5 : ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Recipe by Cooking Quinoa.

Print This

You might also like...

Vegan Cookbooks Reviewed

Cooking Quinoa Perfectly

New Red Quinoa Recipes - Broccoli Quinoa Salad

Black Bean and Quinoa Burgers

Quinoa Edamame Salad

Wendy Polisi — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:02:45 +0000

I don’t know about you but when I’m feeling like there is more to do in a given day than I can possibly get done, I find myself reaching for foods that are….less than ideal. I could blame the fact that my boys had a fleeing infatuation with bagel chips (and the hubby bought them four bags) and I haven’t been able to find kale at the grocery store to make my beloved kale chips. But really this is a recurring theme with me. When things are calm my diet is pretty darn good. But when things get crazy, I find myself snacking and relying on convenience foods. This has been going on off an on since the holidays, but I put a stop to it this week. One thing I know about myself is that if I plan ahead, I always do better. This quinoa edamame salad is the perfect solution for me.

I fell in love with the mixture of quinoa and edamame with this vegan quinoa salad. The combo is perfect for me right now, because it keeps me full which helps prevent mindless snacking. And, if I do get hungry having quinoa salad in the fridge goes a long way towards keeping the boys bagel chips safe.

Quinoa Edamame Bowl

2 cups cooked quinoa (check out this post for how to cook quinoa.)
1 cup edamame, cooked according to package directions
¼ cup chopped red onion
½ cup chopped red pepper
¼ cup chopped radishes
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional – if you are oil free omit)
2 tablespoons Seasoned Rice Vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced (I LOVE MY Rösle Garlic Press)
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon Pure Himalayan Salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
¼ cup almonds, chopped
4 tablespoons Toasted Sesame Seeds

In a large bowl combine quinoa, edamame, red onion, red pepper, and radishes. In a small bowl combine rice wine vinegar, garlic, crushed red pepper, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Whisk in olive oil. Toss with salad. Transfer to serving bowls and top with almonds and sesame seeds.

Preparation time: 8 min

Cooking time: 0 min

Diet type: Vegan

Number of servings (yield): 4

Calories: 322 (241 if you omit olive oil and sesame seeds)

Fat: 16.8 (9 grams if you omit olive oil and sesame seeds)

Protein: 15.3

Carbohydrates: 30.6

Fiber: 6.9

5 : ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Recipe by Cooking Quinoa.

Print This

You might also like...

New Red Quinoa Recipes - Broccoli Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Cherry Salad Recipe

Quinoa Cake Doughnuts

Quinoa Burger

Pasta and Quinoa Salad

Wendy Polisi — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:24:14 +0000

Anyone who knows me well knows that I absolutely love cookbooks. Few things are more enjoyable than curling up with a good cookbook and a pad of sticky notes cut into little strips on a weekend afternoon. I just love to go through and mark all the recipes that catch my eye, dreaming of one day making them all.

Recently, I had the chance to spend such an afternoon with Vegan Holiday Kitchen, and I’ll have to tell you, it was a very enjoyable time.

In addition to loving cookbooks, I love the holidays. A lot. I love any excuse to celebrate.

Case in point: We don’t have birthdays in our house, we have Birthday Seasons. (It is currently my soon to be 7 years olds birthday season and let me tell you…he is milking it. And I love every minute of it because he so reminds me of myself. Well, except is isn’t constantly trying to talk people into foot rubs during his birthday season. Yet.)

Anyhow, as if getting a new cookbook wasn’t enough, the fact that it was a holiday cookbook had me especially excited. I even made a special trip to the store to get sticky notes. A quick glance told me I was probably going to need to be prepared. And I wasn’t disappointed!

Start to finish, Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas is simply amazing. The photography is stunning and the recipes will leave you drooling.

When I first heard the book was coming out, somehow I envisioned a book that only focued on the winter holidays. Imagine my suprise and delight to find recipes for everything from summer entertaining, to Easter to brunches. In fact, this pasta and quinoa salad recipe comes from the summer entertaining sections. But don’t hold that against it. I just had to try it be cause I LOVE new ideas in the kitchen, and frankly it had never occurred to me to combine pasta and quinoa. I’m actually kinda mad about that, but I liked it so much that chances are you will see this combination again. You’ve been warned.

I highly recommend this book! It’s not the kind of book you use once and set aside, but one that you will refer to time and again. Get your copy of Vegan Holiday Kitchen now!

Recipe reprinted with permission from Vegan Holiday Kitchen. A courtesy copy of Vegan Holiday Kitchen was provided by the publisher. That doesn’t change the fact that this book rocks.

Pasta and Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa (red, white or a combination), rinsed
2 cups small pasta (tiny shells, ditalini, or other)
8 baby carrots, quartered lengthwise
1 red or yellow pepper, cut into approximately 1/2 inch dice
2 to 3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped green pimento olives

Combine the quinoa with 3 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rapid simmer, than cover and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. If the quinoa is not quite done, add 1/2 cup water and continue to cook until absorbed. Allow to stand off the heat, uncovered, until at room temperature.
Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente, then drain.
Combine the cooled quinoa with the cooked pasta in a large serving bowls. Add the remaining ingredients except the last two. Toss gently but thoroughly.
If time allows, cover the salad and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before serving. Just before serving, stir in the cherry tomatoes and olives. (Wendy’s note: try not to eat too much…this is good!)

Preparation time: 25 minute(s)

Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 8

Calories: 260

Fat: 8.6g

Protein: 6.3g

Carbohydrates: 37.3g

Fiber: 3.5 g

5 : ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Print This

You might also like...

Quinoa Giveaway from Trade as One!

Quinoa Taco Salad

Roasted Garlic Quinoa

Mexican Quinoa Patties

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans

Wendy Polisi — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:37:56 +0000

Quinoa salad recipes are my go to meals when I’m short on time and trying to eat healthy. Often I will make a huge quinoa salad on Sunday afternoon, not for a meal that day but to have in the fridge during the week. That way if I get busy I can grab a quick meal and still stay on track with eating healthy.

There is something that I find especially filling about quinoa salad with black beans, and since reading Eat to Live I have been making a big effort to get more legumes in my diet. So I was really excited to see a Fiesta Quinoa Salad with black beans in my latest cookbook acquisition, Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet.

Of course, the combination of quinoa, black beans, pepper, tomatoes and cilantro is nothing new to any of us. But the dressing on this dish really stands out – I loved the tamari, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar combo.

If you are new to cooking quinoa and need help cooking it, you may want to check out this post on how to cook quinoa. To get the three cups of quinoa that this recipe calls for, you will need one cup of dried quinoa.

Recipe adapted from Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet (A super-amazing healthy Vegan cookbook that is also very beautiful.)

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans

3 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup corn, thawed
1 ½ cups black beans
¼ cup yellow pepper
¼ cup tomatoes, diced
¼ cup cilantro
½ teaspoon Pure Himalayan Salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons lime zest
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons Organic Ground Cumin Seed
2 teaspoons Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
3 tablespoons Tamari Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

In a large bowl combine quinoa, corn, black beans, yellow pepper, tomatoes and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl combine lime zest, lime juice, cumin powder, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder tamari, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar. Whisk until well combined.
Toss quinoa salad with 3/4 of dressing and serve warm or cold. Drizzle additional dressing on top as desired.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegan

Number of servings (yield): 6

Calories: 227

Fat: 2.8g

Protein: 9.1g

Carbohydrate: 42.5

Fiber: 7.5 g

5 : ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Print This

You might also like...

Baked Quinoa Patties

Gluten Free Pumpkin Quinoa Fritters

Quinoa Cake Doughnuts

Sweet Potato Falafel

Mexican Quinoa

Wendy Polisi — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:48:50 +0000

I can’t say what my favorite thing is about this Mexican Quinoa Salad was. The taste was fabulous, but I really loved the texture too. And, of course I love how colorful it is. Colorful dishes make me smile because I know getting a pretty picture will be easy.

At the end of the day, this dish was a real winner at our house.

And yes, thank you for asking. Those ARE homemade corn tortillas on top!

I was feeling adventurous a few weeks ago, so I decided to buy a Tortilla Press so that I could make my own tortillas and flat bread. This was on the heels of reading an ingredient list on a package of wraps that included way too many things I didn’t want to be eating or feeding my family.So this week a few weeks had gone by and still no tortillas had been made.

I shifted the spot to where the tortilla press was stored to the back of the shelf where I keep plates and place mats that I used for photographs. (So that my husband wouldn’t be reminded of it and ask me where were the tortillas or Whoopee Pies I had planned on making.)

Strangely, that didn’t ease the guilt I was feeling about not actually using the tortilla press.

Finally, I ~~stopped being lazy~~ got adventurous and tried the darn thing out! It was a little work at first but once I realized that I needed to use a plastic bag as a liner it went smooth as can be. Best of all, I made these corn tortillas with just two ingredients! I still need to practice some more before I’m ready to offer tips, but you’ll see these tortillas again because I also used them to make a really great tostada recipe I have coming soon. (With a rocking cashew cream avocado sauce!)

If you are looking for a great quinoa salad that is pretty enough for company, I highly recommend this Mexican Quinoa Salad! And if you are interested in getting your own tortilla press, you can buy them at Amazon.com.

Mexican Quinoa Salad

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups black beans
1 cup corn, thawed
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, slivered
2 tablespoons pickled jalapeño, diced
4 corn tortillas
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 – 1 chipotle chilie in adobo sauce (The dish will be HOT if you use 1)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 avocado, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, black beans, corn, tomato, red onion and pickled jalapeño.
Slice corn tortillas into thin strips. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil and add tortilla strips. Spray again. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Bake for 10-15 minute, until crispy. (Check often to make sure the tortillas don’t burn – I was using homemade tortillas and they took closer to 15 minutes. I’m guessing store bought may not take as long.)
Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine lime juice, chipotle Chile, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, honey or agave nectar, cumin and sea salt. Process until mixture is smooth. Toss with quinoa mixture.
Plate quinoa and top with avocado and tortilla strips. (If making ahead, wait to put avocado and tortilla strips on at the last minute. Store leftover tortilla strips in an air tight bag, and return to oven to crisp if desired prior to serving.)

Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

Cooking time: 15 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegan

Diet tags: Gluten free

Number of servings (yield): 6

Calories: 277

Fat: 11.6 g

Protein: 7.7 g

Carbohydrates:47.2 g

Fiber: 8.3 g

5 : ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Recipe by Cooking Quinoa.

Print This

You might also like...

Black Bean Recipes

How to Cook Red Quinoa

More Recipes for Quinoa – Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Soup!

Baked Quinoa Patties

Spicy Quinoa Salad

Wendy Polisi — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:19:53 +0000

Today’s spicy quinoa salad is the perfect quinoa recipe for your busy week! I talk a lot about how I make a big batch of quinoa on the weekend so that I have it on hand to quickly make quinoa recipes during the week. Most often, I will make it on Saturday so that Sunday morning I can whip up the boys quinoa pancakes or donuts.

For me, the solution to feeding four people (3 meals a day) without anything coming from a box and only eating out once a week is planning and making things like quinoa ahead. As an example, yesterday not only did I use the quinoa I’d made to make the boys donuts for breakfast, I also made six pizza doughs for the freezer, using a modification of this flat bread pizza recipe where I use cooked quinoa for 3/4 cup of the cereal mix. (I make a double recipe every other week.) I also made a double batch of quinoa fritters, which my entire family will happily eat during the week.

The rest of the week, I will rely on easy quinoa recipes like this spicy quinoa salad. Starting with cooked quinoa, it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. And, while it certainly falls under the category of easy quinoa recipes, it isn’t short on taste!

I love chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and was thrilled a few years ago when I found it in spice form. Like cayenne pepper, it really adds heat to a dish but the heat here is quite different and well worth stocking your kitchen with one more spice. If you don’t have it on hand and aren’t that into hot dishes, feel free to use cayenne pepper instead.

What about you? What are your solutions to feeding your family a healthy diet without getting overwhelmed?

Spicy Quinoa Salad

3 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup uncooked)
2 cups corn
1 red pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 T fresh lime juice
1/2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp chipolte chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl, combine quinoa, corn, red pepper and cilantro.
In a small bowl combine lime juice, olive oil, garlic, chipolte chili powder, smoked paprika and salt.
Toss dressing with quinoa mixture and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Preparation time: 8 minute(s)

Cooking time:

Diet type: Vegan

Number of servings (yield): 4

Calories: 243

Fat: 5.2 grams

Protein: 8.6 grams

Carbohydrates: 43.4 grams

Fiber: 5.7 grams

5 : ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Recipe by Cooking Quinoa.

Print This

You might also like...

New Quinoa Cooking Ideas - Quinoa Cakes with Spinach, Artichoke and Feta Salad

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Mexican Quinoa

Gift Ideas for the Healthy Cook!

Quinoa and Corn Salad Recipe

Wendy Polisi — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:56:38 +0000

Today I have a great easy quinoa recipe, that is perfect for this time of year! This corn salad recipe is easy to make, healthy and tasty! It’s a perfect dish to make for planned leftovers because it keeps so well. (Except for the avocado which should be added just before serving.) I made it this weekend and have been enjoying it for a couple of days!

Now, a note about corn. I try not to preach too much here, but I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t mention this.

I really love corn, but this is one thing that I always buy organic.

I know its tempting to go conventional this time of year, especially when you can pick up two beautiful ears for $1. (Believe me, I’m trying to stretch my grocery dollars too!)

However, about 86% (or more) of all corn sold in the United States is genetically modified. Mexico has actually banned GMO corn from the US for import since 2005 due to a lack of evidence that it is safe. (Read more about that here.) Additionally, GMO corn has been linked to organ failure. So, when making healthy quinoa recipes skipping GMO corn just makes sense!

Recipe adapted from Power Foods

Quinoa and Corn Salad Recipe

2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup corn (thawed frozen or fresh cooked)
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
3 scallions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno chili
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/2 avocado, diced
2 tablespoons pepitas

Make dressing by combining lime juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, minced garlic and olive oil in a small bowl or salad dressing mixer.
In a large bowl, combine quinoa, corn, red pepper, scallions, jalapeno and cilantro. Toss with dressing. Top with avocado and pepitas.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time:

Diet tags: Low calorie, Gluten free

Number of servings (yield): 4

Calories: 231

Fat: 12.5 g

Protein: 5.6 g

Carbohydrates 26.6

Fiber: 4.9 g

5 : ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Notes: To cook fresh corn on the cob, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil corn for 10 minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool slightly before cutting off the cob. If you are new to cooking quinoa, check out this post on how to cook quinoa.

Print This

You might also like...

More Quinoa Cooking Ideas! Lamb Chops with Olive Quinoa

Minestrone Soup with Quinoa

Quinoa Protein Bowl

Talk To Me Live On Radio Today

Easy Quinoa Salad – Quinoa and Avocado Salad

Wendy Polisi — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 23:25:54 +0000

I’m pretty sure this summer is getting the best of me. You might recall me saying that I took 10 days off at the beginning of this month. During this time, I stayed away from the computer – and the kitchen – as much as possible. That’s not to say that I didn’t cook. I did, but I tried to keep the recipes low key. (Like this easy quinoa salad)

Or, if I was going to do something complex, I made sure it was fun! (Like the amazing popped quinoa chocolate bars that I’m going to be adding to my quinoa cookbook! I’m pretty sure I could market those babies!)

Anyways, although the time away should have left me refreshed I must confess that I’m having a very difficult time getting back into the groove of things. I certainly am not in need of a vacation from my vacation because during this time I did very little. I think after years of not taking it easy (as in almost 7), perhaps I enjoyed my down time a bit too much.

Either way, I apologize if my posts have been a bit sporadic this month.

Today’s recipe is one of the easy quinoa recipes I made while I was taking it easy. It is a great easy quinoa salad for lunch or dinner. But being that I really don’t like traditional breakfast foods, personally, I really loved this for breakfast.

My family, on the other hand, found the image of me photographing food at 6 am very amusing.

Adapted from Fine Cooking

Quinoa and Avocado Salad

1 1/2 T raisins
1 1/2 T currants
2 T dried apricots, diced
3 cups cooked quinoa
1 lemon
3 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp sweet paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 avocado, pitted and cut into chunks
2 scallions, sliced
3 T almonds, coarsely chopped

Soak raisins, currants and apricots in hot water for five minutes. Drain.
Grate the zest of the lemon and squeeze the juice into a small bowl. Whisk with olive oil, coriander, cumin, paprika, garlic and salt.
Toss cooked quinoa with raisins, currants and apricots. Add avocado, scallions and almonds and toss with dressing. Season with additional salt and pepper as desired.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegan

Number of servings (yield): 6

Calories: 242

Fat: 14.8

Protein: 5.4

Carbohydrates: 23.8

Fiber: 4.9

5 : ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Recipe by Cooking Quinoa.

Print This

You might also like...

Quinoa Black Bean Salad Recipe

Quinoa Flakes

Quinoa Crunchy Nut Clusters

Crispy Quinoa Cakes

Firecracker Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Artichoke Hearts

Wendy Polisi — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:11:33 +0000

Happy Canada Day! Are you ready for a great long weekend? I know I am! It’s been crazy around here for the last few weeks – with moving and keeping busy with the boys – and I’m really looking forward to some down time. I’ve done my grocery shopping and am ready to settle in for a family weekend by the pool!

If you are looking for a great healthy lunch recipe for your holiday weekend, I’ve got a great simple salad that comes together in a matter of minutes. And….its got kick!

You know I love my food spicy, so this is defiantly going to be one of my go to recipes when I want to get lunch on the table quickly and don’t feel like heating up the house by turning on the stove. Recipes like this one are why I always keep cooked quinoa on hand.

I also always have balsamic vinegar dressing on hand, but you can always used purchased dressing. Since this quinoa recipe calls for you to kick up the dressing even a basic store bought dressing will yield a great salad!

If you haven’t tried sriracha, you can find it in the Asian section of your grocery store. It’s not at all expensive and is perfect for heating things up! Vincent likes to add it to Greek yogurt and eat it with veggie burgers!

I’m looking forward to a weekend of great food. It’s a really long weekend for us because Vincent’s birthday is Wednesday. We are having this salad, veggie burgers, salt and vinegar potato bites(yum!), oven baked chili rellanos, Mediterranean pasta salad, avocado pesto pasta, and cheese wontons. Oh, and quinoa patties! For dessert I’m planning on giving a shot at making puffed quinoa almond bark served with coffee ice cream.

The good news is that I’ve planned ahead and will still have plenty of time for relaxing!

What’s on your weekend menu?

Recipe adapted from Vegetarian Times

Firecracker Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Artichoke Hearts

2/3 cup cooked quinoa
15 ounces chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water packed artichoke hearts
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
2 T capers
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette
2 – 4 drops sriracha sauce
2 cups baby arugula
1 ounce feta, optional

In a large bowl combine cooked quinoa, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, capers and bell pepper. Add siriracha sauce to balsamic vinaigrette. Combine quinoa mixture with arugula and toss with dressing. Top with feta if desired.

Preparation time: 8 minute(s)

Cooking time:

Diet type: Vegetarian

Diet tags: High protein

Number of servings (yield): 2

Calories: 355 (Including cheese but not dressing)

Fat: 6.3

Protein: 16.9

5 : ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Recipe by Cooking Quinoa.

Print This

You might also like...

Quinoa Cooking Tips

Vegan Quinoa Patties

Snack Mix with Quinoa Flakes & Oats!

Quinoa Taco Bowl

Chickpea Salad with Quinoa and Kañiwa

Wendy Polisi — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:36:28 +0000

Last week I shared with you my first attempt at a kañiwa recipe and since then I’ve been dying to try using it again. So, when I decided to make this chickpea salad, in stead of using all quinoa I decided to see how it worked when I blended the two. If you haven’t given kañiwa a try yet, I highly recommend you do. Like quinoa, it is a complete protein source. It is a fraction of the size of quinoa and I love the way it adheres to the other ingredients in this salad. Blended with white quinoa, I think it is very pretty. What do you think?

If you have been following, you may know I’m in the second week of the 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart, during which I’m eating a low fat vegan diet. I’ve been really good at sticking with it but I must confess that my energy levels have been low. I am extremely prone to anemia and I’m afraid that vegan AND low fat may not be agreeing. My arms and legs are one big bruise! Anyways, I’m still sticking with it for the next week at least. I’ve scheduled an appointment to get a B12 shot and I’m hoping that will do the trick. The good news is my pants are all a little loose even though I haven’t made it to the gym.

Anyhow, a protein packed dish like this chickpea salad recipe was just what I needed. Now if you don’t have any Kañiwa on hand, you can just substitute quinoa. If you would like to give it a try some people have mentioned that Whole Foods is stocking it (mine isn’t!) or you can get it on Amazon.com.

This recipe is lightly adapted from Fat Free Vegan.

Chickpea Salad with Quinoa

¾ cup quinoa, rinsed
¾ cup kañiwa
(alternatively, use 1 ½ cups quinoa)
2 cups vegetable broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp sea salt
1 tomato, seeded and diced
1 cup corn, thawed or fresh cooked
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 ½ cups chickpeas
½ cup scallions, sliced
2/3 cup parsley, chopped fine
1/3 cup mint, minced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
¼ cup fresh lime juice
3 T bean cooking liquid (or olive oil)
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp ground chipotle chili pepper
1 tsp maple syrup

Put quinoa and kañiwa in a medium saucepan with vegetable broth, garlic and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit covered for five more minutes.
In a large bowl combine tomato, corn, jalapeno, chickpea, scallions, parsley and mint. Stir in diced avocado.
In a blender combine lime juice, bean cooking liquid or olive oil, sea salt, pepper, garlic, chipolte chili pepper and maple syrup. Process until well blended.
Combine quinoa, kawina and vegetable mixture. Toss with dressing and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegan

Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced fat, Gluten free

Number of servings (yield): 6

Calories: 315

Fat: 8.8

Protein: 12.6

5 : ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Recipe by Cooking Quinoa.

Do you have a favorite chick pea salad recipe you’d like to share? I’d love to hear from you!

Print This

You might also like...

Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

Vegan Quinoa Patties

Quinoa Fritters

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans