I don’t know about you, but I’ve been pretty wary about trying Quinoa for a very long time. Those little granules… how could those possibly turn into anything worth eating?! Seriously??! Well, it just so happens that they’re edible. Quite edible, in fact. You just have to know how to prepare those little granules so that they’re worthy of eating. Adding a bunch of other good stuff in with them is helpful too. I put together a little Mexican Quinoa Salad for you.
I added good stuff like cherry tomatoes, fresh corn and cilantro. There’s a little lime in there too and a light dressing. Easy.
This is a fancy-schmancy tricolor quinoa from Trader Joe’s. Otherwise, it’s just one color. Find it in the same section of your market where you’d find rice.
Some schooling for you… Quinoa (properly pronounced as “Keen-Wah”) is a type of whole grain/seed. It cooks up quicker than other whole grains (just 10 to 15 minutes) and it’s naturally vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and cholesterol free. Quinoa has the highest protein content of any other grain, and it contains all 8 amino acids (so it’s good for ya!) It’s prepared just as rice is prepared with one part quinoa to two parts water. It’s important to rinse quinoa well before cooking it since it’s coated with a naturally occurring plant chemical that can cause a bitter taste. It’s super fine though, so you’ll need a fine mesh strainer to use for rinsing.
Prepare your quinoa in a little saucepan, and in 10 minutes it’s ready… add your veggies and herbs and a simple dressing and big bang bongo you’ve got yourself a salad- served warm or lukewarm or cold. Or you could be totally brave and just hit the Farmer’s Market, grabbing whatever sounds good to you and add it to quinoa. It’s all good.
Are you a fan of quinoa already? Have you yet to try this little grain? Have I turned you on to the idea of trying it? Hope so!
Horizons need to be broadened, salads need to be shaken up a bit, quinoa needs to be eaten, and… do as Lennon said and Give Peace a Chance. (Though the first time I wrote that it came out as, “Give Peaches a Chance.” Hmmm. Ignore me and my crazy thoughts here. Just eat some quinoa.
If you happen to be following the Weight Watchers WW plan, you’ll find a link to the WW Points on the recipe card below.
Mexican Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
DRESSING
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
SALAD
- 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed well through a fine strainer/sieve
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup fresh corn (sliced off the cob, raw)
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1 small lime, divided use
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Prepare the quinoa according to package directions; cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, toss the quinoa with the tomatoes, corn and cilantro. Add the dressing and toss to coat everything. Squeeze lime on top, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.4. Serve with lime wedges, for individual squeezing.
Notes
- This salad can be served warm or cold!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love quinoa, we eat it at least once per week. Definitely trying it, these flavors are at the top of my list!
I still haven’t tried quinoa yet, but have been meaning too. This salad looks great, and I can’t wait to make it! 🙂
I just tried quinoa for the first time this past weekend. I made lemon thyme mushroom chicken, and spooned the sauce over the quinoa. It was delicious. And, this salad looks amazing. I am always looking for healthy, easy lunch recipes, and this one is perfect.
I’ve also been wary about trying quinoa. It seems to be a fad, and I’m hesitant to believe much about these so-called “super foods.” But I think I’ll have to try this maybe. Green onions and red peppers must be added.
Quinoa rules my entire life. And this salad is my new boyfriend. YUM!
I am already on the quinoa bandwagon! This salad is all of my favorite flavors and it would make the a great and easy lunch to prepare early in the week and have at hand on those busy days!
you should try this recipe: http://www.dailygarnish.com/2011/06/mediterranean-quinoa-salad.html
We made it last night w grilled salmon and veggies. the only difference we did was add sauteed peppers and sun-dried tomatoes instead of fresh.
I LOVE quinoa! I just made a huge batch of it last night to store in the fridge for my meals for this week. I love making different dressings for it and finding little things to mix in (almonds and cranberries or mexican salsa!). Great pick for today!
I have been meaning to try quinoa too…but it just looks so odd, I’ve been a little skeered. This looks doable for sure, though!!
This looks so colourful and yummy! Awesome idea!