Sunday, May 9, 2021

Quinoa Confetti Salad

salad



Are you a quinoa lover? 

This colorful quinoa confetti salad, trimmed in curly red lettuce, is a tasty salad for a spring or summer day.

I often make quinoa and use it as a simple warm side dish, a filling for stuffed peppers, or as an addition to a salad. 

quinoa salad
The chopped salad, the quinoa, chickpeas, and red curly lettuce around the sides topped with red onion slices. 

I brought this healthy salad to a Mother's Day luncheon today.

Quinoa is a light gluten-free grain/seed that is high in protein, fiber, all 9 amino acids, and vitamins and minerals which rightfully earns the name "superfood". Consumed for hundreds of years in South America by the Incas, it has now become a popular food in the US. 

salad
The salad base before I added nuts, quinoa, and chickpeas

I diced up cucumber, red pepper, parsley, black olives, celery, green onion, and red onion. I then tossed it in a salad with chickpeas blanched almonds, and cooked quinoa- making it a high protein vegan meal. 

Quinoa comes in three colors: white, red, black.. the white is the lightest and I like it best in salads. 

Need to know an easy way to cook quinoa so it always comes out fluffy and perfect? Follow my link for perfect quinoa 

cooked quinoa
Cooked White Quinoa


Quinoa, Salad, Vegetarian, Diet, Gourmet
The Dressing- 
I use freshly squeezed lemon juice- period.
Personally, I have stopped using oil in my diet. For those following my blog, this explanation will be repetitious. 
I don't use oil because I am following the advice of many board certified plant-based doctors and cardiologists who say oil is a highly caloric food that does not contain fiber or nutrients.-in other words it helps make you fat! (I know- there is lots of controversy around that issue)  However, until you hear their side of the story, I wouldn't be convinced that it is so good for you. 





These doctors suggest it is better to eat fat in its whole form of nuts, olives, avocado etc. 

Ingredients: 
2 cups of chopped cucumber
2 cups of chopped red pepper 
2 cups of chopped celery
1/4 cup of sliced black olives
3/4 cup of chopped curly parsley
1/2 cup of chopped red onion 
1/4 cup of chopped green onion
3 cups of cooked quinoa, room temperature
2 cups of cooked chickpeas
Optional: 1/4 cup of blanched almonds 

Dressing: 
Juice of 1 lemon
optional: 1/4 cup of olive oil mixed with the lemon juice

Directions:  
Mix together the cucumber, red pepper, celery, black olives, parsley, red onion,  and green onion. Add cooked quinoa, chickpeas, and balanced almonds if desired and toss. Decorate with lettuce leaves and slices of red onion. Dress with freshly squeezed lemon juice or a lemon and olive oil dressing if you eat oil. 


Sharing on Souper Sunday where anyone can share a soup, salad, or sammie recipe. 



26 comments:

  1. The salad looks very colourful and nice!

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    1. Thank you Angie. I like to try all kinds of salads and incorporate as many colors as possible.

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  2. We eat quinoa now dressed with dried fruit, onion and balsamic vinaigrette. Your salad looks great!

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    1. Marie,
      I like quinoa with dried fruit too. Quinoa is a great addition to any salad.

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  3. I love the name of this salad. We do eat quinoa and salad mixed together. Lovely recipe.

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    1. Hi Balvinder,
      Yes, it is always intriguing to find the right name for a recipe. I think quinoa and salad are a perfect pair.

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  4. I just love the term confetti to describe this scrummy looking salad :)

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    1. Thank you Tandy. It's always a challenge to come up with a creative name for a recipe. I do think this salad looks like confetti...

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  5. This salad looks beautiful, healthy, and most of all - DELICIOUS! And I love the name - it looks like something you would eat at a celebration! :)

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    1. Thanks Alea. Many people have commented on the name. I like ti too.. I try to eat at least one big bowl of raw vegetables such as this salad every day.

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  6. What a delicious salad!....I love the combination with quinoa and chickpeas!!.....Abrazotes, Marcela

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    1. The chickpeas and the quinoa turn the salad into a complete tasty meal.

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  7. This looks healthy and delicious, love the idea of using quinoa in the salad and chickpeas is my favorite on any salad!

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    1. I agree Aarthi- chickpeas and quinoa are a nice addition to any salad.

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  8. how pretty does this salad look? and i bet it's delicious. i'm sad to hear that olive oil isn't good for you. i adore it and use it for everything :(

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    1. Hi Sherry,
      It is interesting because we have been always told Olive oil is so good for us. It's hard to know but certainly worth listening with an open view.lhnn;;

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  9. Quinoa was new to me around a year ago, but now I make it quite often. Besides tasting good, it's pretty quick and easy to cook. I like it with curried vegetables. You make me think about using it in salads as well.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. Mae,
      Quinoa is versatile and tastes good hot or at room temperature. It does very well in salads.

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  10. What a colorful salad and so many healthful ingredients. Pinned this post and will make it ASAP. Sounds sooo good.

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    1. Wow. I love that you pin my posts. So thoughtful and much appreciated.

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  11. You salad looks so fresh ad colorful and good! Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays this week. ;-)

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    1. Hi Deb,
      I love visiting and participating in Souper Sundays whenever I have a soup, sammie, or salad to share. Thanks for hosting it.

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  12. I’ve been craving salads lately, and this quinoa confetti salad looks very appetizing. I don’t eat quinoa often but would love to try this recipe.

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    1. Thanks Angie for stopping by and commenting. I just checked out your blog and saw the delicious looking salad you posted too.. Please do try the recipe. I think you will like it.

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  13. Your awesome post is featured on Full Plate Thursday,537 and we just pinned it to our features board! Thanks so much for sharing your talent with us and hope you come back soon!
    Miz Helen

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  14. Your salad base looks so colourful ...

    All the best Jan

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Your comments are appreciated. I love knowing who is stopping by to read my posts! Have a great day.

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