There are some foods that just seem to be powerhouse foods – packed with nutrition and flavor! Quinoa is definitely one of those foods. As a bonus, it is gluten free so people with a gluten allergy or intolerance can enjoy it as well.
This recipe can be made any time of year, but we especially like to make it in the summer using ingredients that are fresh from our garden. There is just something about carrots grown in your garden that make them taste fresh and earthy. We also love growing bell peppers in our garden. You can use any color that you want, but we think the red and yellow look super pretty together.
The other great thing about this salad is that you can chop everything ahead of time. You can even cook your quinoa beforehand. Whenever you are ready to serve it, or if you are taking it to a party, it’s super fast to assemble. You can even assemble it before and keep it in your fridge to combine all of the flavors together. I feel like curry is a flavor that gets better with time. If you combine the ingredients and let them soak up that yummy flavor it will taste more flavorful when you serve it.
Make sure you rinse your quinoa before you cook it to remove the bitter taste it can have. We love quinoa because it is a complete protein. This makes it so salads like this can be used as your main dish. If you feel like you need a little more to it, you can always add chicken. We love to serve this salad with a yummy crusty bread on the side and a big bowl of juicy, sweet watermelon. The perfect summer meal!
Summer Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 1 medium bell pepper, red
- 1 medium bell pepper, yellow
- 1 small (3″ long) onion, red
- 1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1 fruit (2″ dia) lime
- 1/4 cup almonds, sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped carrot
- 1/2 cup cranberries, dried
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, ground
Instructions
- Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil over high heat in a saucepan, then pour in the quinoa, cover with a lid, and continue to simmer over low heat until the water has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Once the quinoa is cooked, pour into a mixing bowl, and chill in the refrigerator until chilled.
- Once chilled, stir in the red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red onion, curry powder, cilantro, lime juice, sliced almonds, carrots, and cranberries. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill before serving.
Nutrition
www.superhealthykids.com
