Description
A nutrient-packed quinoa salad featuring fresh spinach, creamy avocado, and a tangy lemon dressing — perfect for a light lunch or healthy side dish.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup feta cheese (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa under cold water, then combine with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
- Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork and let it cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, chopped spinach, avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and feta cheese if using.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to create the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Notes
- For a vegan version, omit the feta cheese or use a plant-based alternative.
- You can add nuts or seeds like sunflower or pumpkin for extra crunch.
- Lemon juice helps prevent the avocado from browning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 8mg