Three Easy and Tasty Recipes:
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Triple Berry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese
Black Bean and Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
This is my personal creation with some of my favorite ingredients from the Mediterranean region. It has a light lemony dressing and is loaded with fiber, vitamin C, monounsaturated fats, and protein from the quinoa. You can make it a complete meal by adding a can of drained chickpeas.
Salad
1 ½ C water
1 C tri-color quinoa (I use Tru Roots sprouted quinoa)
½ tsp. salt
½ C marinated artichokes, chopped
½ C sweet red pepper, diced
½ C pitted large olives, quartered
3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 C grape tomatoes
Dressing
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa and cover, simmer on low heat for 15-18 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is partly translucent. Remove from heat, let stand covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a medium salad bowl, combine artichokes, red pepper, olives, and parsley. Add cooled quinoa and toss gently. Add tomatoes and toss gently. Make dressing in a jar or small bowl, combining all ingredients by shaking or whisking. Pour dressing over salad to taste. May be served cold or at room temperature. Serves 6
Triple Berry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese
This is a yummy salad I serve all Summer because it is filled with the fresh greens and berries of the season and it is so refreshing. The blueberries, spinach, and walnuts are brain boosters too!
Salad
1 bag (6-8 oz) organic fresh spinach leaves, washed and dried
1 C strawberries, quartered
1 C raspberries
1 C blackberries
1 C raw walnut halves
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese
½ C raw pumpkin seeds
Dressing
4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. lemon zest
½ tsp. dijon mustard
¼ tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. white sugar (or honey)
⅓ C olive oil
½ Tbsp. poppy seeds
In a large bowl, gently combine salad ingredients. Make dressing in a small bowl and whisk until fully combined. Pour dressing over salad just before serving. Refrigerate if not serving immediately. Serves 4-6
Black Bean and Black-Eyed Pea Salad
The legumes in this refreshing salad are packed with protein, fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, and iron. And the green pepper, avocados, cilantro, cumin and olive oil really boost the superfood nutrients in this tasty salad.
Salad
1-15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-15 oz. can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 ½ C frozen corn, thawed (or fresh cooked corn)
½ C green pepper, diced
⅓ C fresh cilantro, chopped
2 avocados, sliced
Dressing
1 tsp. lime zest
½ C lime juice (about 4 limes)
¼ C olive oil
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. salt
In a medium bowl, combine salad ingredients, except avocado. Toss to combine well. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Pour salad dressing over salad to taste and gently toss. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Top with avocado slices just before serving. Serves 6
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