I know, the name of the recipe sounds like a mouthful. However, it is extremely simple. AND…it’s so good you will want more than just a mouthful. I promise.
Quinoa Avocado Tomato Cucumber Salad
Serves 4
- Ingredients for base of salad: 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, 1 small avocado, 1-2 chopped tomatoes, 1/2 chopped cucumber, 1 cup water, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder. (salt and pepper to taste)
- Ingredients for dijon vinaigrette: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp onion powder, and 1 clove of minced garlic.
- Directions: Combine quinoa, water, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of garlic powder in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, cover, and then let simmer covered for 20 minutes, or until quinoa fluffs nicely with a fork. While quinoa is cooking, chop avocado, tomatoes, and cucumber into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces. Prepare dressing separately, wishing together all ingredients listed for vinaigrette. You will not need all of the dressing that this makes, so you can store the rest for later use. Combine cooked quinoa, avocados, cucumbers, and tomatoes in a bowl. Cover with dressing, probably 1/4-1/3 of a cup of the mixture, until salad is properly coated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
This salad is delicious served warm right after it is prepared, or served chilled out of the fridge, making it a fantastic meal to make and eat throughout the week. It would be delicious with diced chicken, and for those who like feta (I’m not one of those) I’m sure that would be tasty too! This dish is SO flavorful, but still light and healthy. I will certainly be making this again soon!