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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Arugula Salad with Quinoa and Watermelon

    Published: Jul 10, 2013 · Last Updated: May 10, 2022 · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    We just got back from a week in fantastic Toronto, Canada, and wanted to share a few highlights plus a recipe for a tasty and healthy arugula salad with quinoa and watermelon enjoyed in a local restaurant.

    Arugula, spinach, watermelon salad | afoodcentriclife.com

    Arugula Salad with Quinoa and Watermelon

    We love to travel, and between us have been to Europe, Australia, the Caribbean, and Asia, but we have not spent much time in the beautiful country just to our north: Canada. Invited to a wedding, we went in advance to explore and discover what Toronto had to offer.

    Toronto grafitti

    The fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a multicultural marvel. With great restaurants and dining, museums, music, art, culture, architecture, sports venues, Lake Ontario, and proximity to Niagara Falls, it has plenty for everyone.

    St Lawrence Market

    St. Lawrence Market

    The first day we headed to the market. Where else would you start? St. Lawrence Market was rated the number 1 food market in the world by National Geographic. It’s a fantastic enclosed market with amazing produce, cheese, meat, seafood, wine, and specialty items. I giddily glaze over in places like this, wandering through, mind racing with inspiration for what to do with  the bounty before me and wondering how much I can stuff in my luggage.

    One discovery was Kozlick’s Canadian Mustard. With thirty marvelous flavors to choose from, it was hard to decide what to bring home. I chose the tarragon and  their best seller, a maple mustard blend. The tarragon is classic French flavor and the maple is pure Canadian, with a sweet heat. Great for vinaigrettes, sauces, roasting and mores. I love mustard!  And with cheese counters overflowing with tempting types we wished we could try them all.

    st lawrence market

    After St Lawrence Market, we walked to the Distillery District. A designated historic site, the Distillery District is an outstanding example of Victorian industrial design from the 1800′s. Comprised of brick buildings which once housed the largest distillery in the world. Today, there are restaurants, art galleries, and shopping in truly unique stores.

    Toronto Distillery District

    One shopkeeper recommended Pure Spirits for lunch. and it was a great suggestion. You get the best recommendations by talking with people when you travel. A warm sunny day, we ate on the outdoor patio, although the inside of the restaurant looked really neat.

    Pure Spirits Restaurant

    Arugula Salad with Quinoa and Watermelon

    This recipe is my take on the terrific salad I had for lunch. A combination of baby spinach and arugula greens, the salad also had chunks of watermelon, a sprinkle of quinoa and a little cheese with a light vinaigrette. I snapped a quick picture to remember to create the recipe.

    Toronto has quite a fine dining scene. While there, we enjoyed terrific meals at Scaramouche and Harbour Sixty, but our favorite is now closed.

    Royal Ontario Museum "ROM"

    What to Do in Toronto

    Toronto has it’s share of museums. We spent a rainy afternoon at the ROM, the Royal Ontario Museum of natural history. It was fascinating with many great exhibits.Another interesting part of Toronto we had to see was Graffiti Alley. We spent hours exploring this long avenue of street art. What a place for photography! We took too many fantastic shots to share in this post, but here are a couple.

    Toronto Graffiti alley

    Toronto Graffiti alley

    If you have the opportunity to visit Toronto, go! And if you need a suggestion on where to stay, we really enjoyed the boutique Hotel Le Germain on Maple Leafs Square. It was a great location that allowed us to walk most everywhere and grab a taxi when we were too pooped from miles on foot.

    For the best website on what to do when visiting Toronto, go to See Toronto Now.I t’s packed with great ideas. And for another refreshing salad with fruit, try my orange and fennel salad.

    Toronto skyline

    Nutrition Facts
    Arugula Salad with Quinoa and Watermelon
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 295 Calories from Fat 189
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 21g32%
    Saturated Fat 6g38%
    Cholesterol 25mg8%
    Sodium 351mg15%
    Potassium 489mg14%
    Carbohydrates 20g7%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 7g8%
    Protein 10g20%
    Vitamin A 3883IU78%
    Vitamin C 18mg22%
    Calcium 236mg24%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Arugula, spinach, watermelon salad | afoodcentriclife.com

    Arugula Salad with Quinoa and Watermelon

    Light and refreshing, this salad covers all of the bases with fresh greens, high-protein quinoa, tangy feta, sweet watermelon, and rich walnuts. It makes a nice lunch. For a heartier meal, add grilled chicken or shrimp. I’ve added my own vinaigrette to the recipe. If you are dairy-free, omit the cheese.
    Print Recipe Rate Recipe
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    Course: Main Course, Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: feta, quinoa, salad, Watermelon
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 295kcal

    Ingredients

    Vinaigrette

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2-3 teaspoons champagne vinegar
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Salad

    • 4-5 ounces arugula
    • 4-5 ounces baby spinach
    • 1 cup cooked quinoa
    • 4-6 ounces feta or ricotta salata cheese cut into small cubes or crumbled
    • 2 cups watermelon chunks
    • 4 tablespoons chopped walnuts
    • 4 teaspoons finely chopped red onion

    Instructions

    • Whisk oil and vinegar together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
    • Add fresh washed greens and toss with hand to cover the greens evenly. Sprinkle on quinoa (¼ cup per person), feta, watermelon and onion.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 351mg | Potassium: 489mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3883IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 236mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    chef sally cameron | afoodcentriclifecom.bigscoots-staging.com

    Hi!, I'm Sally, a professionally trained chef and health coach. Join me in living and cooking gluten-free for your best life ever!

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