The holidays are over and if you are like 99% of people (myself included), chances are you overindulged over the past few weeks. Our bodies aren’t designed to tolerate mass quantities of junk food. (It’s too bad that our taste buds are!)
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying some treats IN MODERATION, but for the times when you overdo it, here’s a great recipe to get you back on track!
This quinoa salad is packed full of healthy ingredients and can be adapted to please any palate. Just switch out which veggies you add in to suit your own tastes. And, by the way, it’s also delicious!
This is one of those recipes where you can really fudge the measurements as much as you want. There is no magic ratio with this one. Just eyeball it and make it the way you will enjoy it most.
For those of you who do better with precise measurements and instructions, here you go!
A nutritious, delicious and satisfying way to fill your body with important nutrients!
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa
- 1 cup bell peppers (I like to use 3 different colors)
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 2.25 oz. can black olives, diced (use more if desired)
- 15 oz. can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar (I use Nakano brand)
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 & 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning (I like McCormick brand)
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Add all of the dressing ingredients together into a mason jar or container with a lid. Shake thoroughly to combine. Hint: allowing the dressing to sit in the fridge before adding it to the salad will allow the flavors of the herbs and seasonings to disperse throughout the oil more evenly. You can even prep it the day before, but you don't have to.
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Cook the quinoa in water according to package instructions.
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Prep your vegetables while the quinoa is cooking.
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Transfer your cooked quinoa to a large bowl and allow it to cool.
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Add the vegetables, pour the dressing on top and stir to combine.
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Chill the salad in the fridge until you are ready to serve it. The longer it sits in the dressing, the more flavor the quinoa will absorb.
If you have questions or comments, please feel free to send me an email at anne@blessingsinsurprise.com. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family and I do! 🙂