Summer Quinoa Salad

Summertime is full of fresh garden veggies and that's pretty much the only thing that gets me through the heat and humidity of the south. My garden is about to pop off with cucumbers and tomatoes so I thought I would come up with a different salad option utilizing them. Adding quinoa to salads is a great option for a side dish for but you could also eat this as a meal, especially if topped with chicken. I used multi-colored quinoa because I think it's more substantial and I like the taste, but for a more mild flavor use white quinoa.

This dressing is one of my favorite dressings for regular green salads! It's pretty much the only dressing we use in our house. It's a combo of vinegars, olive oil, and a little bit of molasses. Molasses is a great source of iron and it adds a nice flavor/thickness to the dressing.

In these photos, I've mixed in some goat cheese crumbles but you can use different kinds of cheeses if you'd like. Sometimes I use mozzarella pearls but you can also use feta! Also, to make this vegan, it's just as good without cheese so by all means, leave it out!

With Forth of July coming up tomorrow this is the perfect quick dish to make for your BBQ. It's sure to be a crowd pleaser for everyone but especially those looking for a healthier side dish.

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa

Cherry tomatoes (as many as you want)

1/2 english cucumber

Big handful of spinach or mixed greens

1 small carrot shaved

1/2 cup basil chopped

Cheese (Goat crumbles, feta, or mozzarella- makers choice)- optional

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

3 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1 TBSP apple cider or pomegranate vinegar

1 garlic clove minced or microplaned

1/2 tsp pink sea salt

1 tsp garlic powder

Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook the quinoa according to directions on the container.

2. While quinoa is cooking prepare veggies and tear up any large greens.

3. When the quinoa is cooled but still warm add in the vegetables

4. Mix together dressing ingredients in a jar and give it a good shake.

5. Pour dressing over the salad and mix well.

6. Taste! At this point, I added a little more balsamic (about 2 more TBSP), salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Taste, add a little more of what you think it needs, then taste again. Repeat this step until it tastes exactly how you want it!

7. Let sit in the fridge covered until chilled, preferably overnight- add cheese before serving.

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