Quinoa is super versatile. In this fragrant salad it provides a whopping serving of protein. Serve on its own as a main or side salad.
Tropical Quinoa Salad
It's super quick, easy, and nutritious and a perfect main or side salad.
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Tropical Quinoa Salad
- Total Time: 35 minutes
Description
Tropical quinoa salad is made with mango, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, spring onions and tossed with citrus, coriander, and olive oil dressing with a sprinkle of pumpkin, sesame, and pine nuts. It’s super easy and full of nutrition goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
300 g cooked quinoa
200 g mango, finely diced
200 g cucumber, deseeded, finely diced
100 g cherry tomatoes, finely diced
100g yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 pomegranate, seeds only
2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions
1 green chilli thinly sliced
Dressing
45 ml olive oil
30 ml lime or lemon juice
15 ml rice wine vinegar
15 ml honey
45 ml mango or orange juice
2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
Seed mix
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp pine nuts
Instructions
Rinse the quinoa in water.
Add the quinoa to a pot of water and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15-18 minutes or until soft.
Cooking times may vary depending on the type of quinoa. Follow its package directions if in doubt.
Strain the quinoa and spread it on a tray lined with greaseproof paper to dry.
Whisk ingredients for dressing in a bowl. Make twice the amount of dressing if you want extra to drizzle on afterward.
Add the rest of the salad the ingredients in a bowl along with the cooled quinoa.
Mix dressing through salad and season to taste.
Combine all ingredients for the seed mix and add as much or as little to the salad.
Keep the remaining seed mix stored in an air-tight container and use it on other salads, porridge, and yogurt.
Pomegranate is optional.
Other Serving Options:
Add stir fry tofu for a boost of phytoestrogens.
For meat lovers add chicken, prawns, or chorizo.
Notes
Quinoa is gluten-free, high in protein, and one of the few plant foods containing all nine essential amino acids. It is high in fibre, magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin E and various beneficial antioxidants. It has very little flavour like rice and pasta and hence is an excellent flavour absorber which makes it the perfect grain for savoury, sweet, hot and cold dishes. It can be used in place of rice, bread, pasta and potatoes.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: lunch, dinner
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6-8
Keywords: lunch, dinner, quinoa,