Green Quinoa Salad with Spinach Dressing

Shopping at a favorite health-food market my tummy was rumbling, so I headed to the fresh deli section to grab a quick snack. They make this great green quinoa salad. The first time I ate it I gobbled the cup down sitting in my car. The second time, I thought, I’ve got to make this at home. The third time, they ran out, so I took a photo of the ingredient list and came up with my own recipe.

The “Green-wah” Salad

With spinach, cucumber, lime, and cilantro, this should be called the “green-wah” salad. It’s really green! Golden corn kernels and red onion give the salad a bit of a color break. Color aside, it tastes great and is healthy. With quinoa as the base, it’s gluten-free and high in protein.

Before cooking, rinse quinoa well in a fine sieve to remove the natural bitter coating called saponin. Cook quinoa and spread it out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool. While it’s cooling, do your vegetable and herb prep and make the spinach dressing.

Spinach Dressing

For the dressing, place 1 giant handful of washed baby spinach leaves into a blender. Add a little water, lime juice, olive oil, garlic and puree. Toss the cooled quinoa with the spinach dressing and the rest of the ingredients.

Enjoy this salad chilled for lunch or a snack. It also works beautifully as the base for grilled chicken, fish or as a side to burgers. Cool salad recipes are nice to have in your recipe box as we head into warmer weather. Salads like this also pack easily for a picnic.

One additional ingredient note – for more green, add diced avocado before serving!

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Green Quinoa Salad with Spinach Dressing

This green quinoa salad with spinach, cilantro, lime and cucumber is healthy and refreshing. I enjoy it for lunch. It’s also great as a side dish with chicken, fish, shrimp or seared scallops. Feel free to taste and add more lime, cilantro or a little extra olive oil to suit your taste. If you can’t stand cilantro, use flat leaf parsley instead. For even more green, add diced avocado before serving.

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked organic quinoa I use the tri-color
• 2 cups water
• 2-3 Persian cucumbers
• a large handful of washed baby spinach leaves
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice and zest of 1 large lime
• Salt and pepper
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 cup organic corn kernels cooked and cooled
• 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
• 2 handful of cilantro leaves chopped fine
• 1 firm but ripe avocado diced small
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Instructions

• Place the quinoa in a fine sieve or strainer and run under cold water for a few minutes to rinse off the saponin (bitter outer coating). Shake off excess water and place in a 2 quart saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, top with a tight fitting lid, and turn the heat as low as it will go. Cook for 18 minutes. When done, move the pan to a cool burner and allow to steam finish for 8-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool. You can also use wax or parchment paper.
• Quarter cucumbers lengthwise, then chop crosswise into small pieces.
• Place spinach, water, oil, lime juice and zest, salt, pepper and chopped garlic in a blender and puree into a dressing.
• Toss cooled quinoa in a bowl with corn, onion, chopped cilantro and enough of the dressing to coat. You may not use it all. Taste and adjust for what you prefer.
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