Quinoa Salad
Quinoa is mildly flavored grain, it is gluten free and contains high fiber. It is packed with protein and contains various beneficial antioxidants. It is perfect healthy dish which can be prepared for a weekend lunch.
This recipe is a vegetarian, but if you have leftover chicken just shred it and add it to your salad. It is also gluten-free according to celiac disease foundation which makes Quinoa Salad and ideal choice for many.
We had plan for a heavy dinner, so we planned ahead and bought missing ingredients on a way back from work. This dish became an easy choice for a perfect light lunch.
After a morning workout, I started cooking quinoa in an Instant Pot and hit the shower. Good thing about Instant Pot is, you do not have watch, it cooks while you are away it just waits for your next step.
By the time you come back, quinoa is done. Just release the remaining steam and fluff in a bowl to cool it down.
Cut you veggies, cook your edamame, beet and you are almost done.
Prepare your quinoa salad with the below shown simple recipe.
Recipe for Quinoa Salad
Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Instant Pot (pressure cook high 1 min)
- 1 Cup quinoa organic
- 2-1/2 Cup water
- 1/2 Teaspoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Microwave (3 min)
- 1 Cup edamame frozen
- 1 Cup water
- 1/8 Teaspoon salt
Veggies:
- 1 Beet cooked shredded
- 2 Carrots shredded
- 20 Tomatoes cherry/ grape tomatos halved
- 2 Celery stick sliced
- 9 Sweet color pepper red/yellow/orange sliced
- 1 Chive stalk sliced optional
- 1 Jalapeño pepper finely sliced optional
Dressing:
- 1/4 Cup olive oil
- 2 Limes juiced or 1 lime and 1 teaspoon Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon mint finely chopped
- 1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red pepper crushed
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin powder
- 3/4 Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
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Wash quinoa and drain water and place in Instant Pot, add water, add, salt, and olive oil. Set <a href='Instant Pot
'>Instant Pot to pressure cook high for one minute. Keep warm for 5 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot.
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Once pressure is released, remove quinoa from pot and gently spread in a large bowl, fluff occasionally to cooldown to room temperature. You can place refrigerator if you prefer even cooler.
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Place edamame in a bowl, add water, salt, and cover the bowl. Place in microwave for about 3.0 minutes. Let it cooldown covered. Remove the cover and drain water and set aside.
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Cut beet in half, place in a large bowl, add water, and cover the bowl. Place in microwave for about 4.0 minutes (longer time if you prefer softer). Let it cooldown covered. Remove the cover and drain water. Shred or thinly slice beet and set aside.
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To make your own dressing, add olive oil in a glass bowl, add lime juice, mint, black pepper, red pepper flakes and cumin powder. Wisk the mixture and set aside for later use.
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Add beet, carrot, tomatoes, color peppers, chive, Jalapeño in quinoa bowl, stir gently. Serve in a bowl or shallow dish. Enjoy with your favorite dressing or with the dressing you made.
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Leftover quinoa salad and dressing can stay in refrigerator for about 4 days for your healthy lunch option.
'>Instant Pot to pressure cook high for one minute. Keep warm for 5 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot.Recipe Notes
Actual Nutritional information may vary based on the ingredient used for cooking. The nutritional values are derived from using a recipe nutrition label generator.
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