EATS: Quinoa Salad with Tahini + Lime Dressing Recipe
Quinoa is a grain that is considered a full protein and that makes it a great choice for vegetarians and vegans or anyone who wants to cut back on animal protein. It’s also a grain that can be a little intimidating. When we received tri-color quinoa in our Imperfect Foods order, my wife asked me to show her how to cook it and some good ways to use it for a meal because even though she’s had it often she’s never cooked it.
One recent sunny afternoon both Lynette and I were home we were hungry. We didn’t want to leave the house to get a bite. I took stock of what we had in the house: quinoa, fresh organic veggies and spring baby greens. A decision was made, we’d have a quinoa salad with chopped veggies. Originally I was going to make a mustard vinaigrette but we were out of mustard. Again, looking to use what we had on hand, Lynette suggested we make a tahini lime dressing. It ended up adding a nice layer of flavor and some nuttiness and creamy texture to the salad. I’m a big proponent of using what you have on hand. Staying flexible can make you more creative in the kitchen and also helps reduce food waste by making the most of everything.
The video below is quick and doesn’t take you step by step so let me say a few things about cooking quinoa. It’s actually simple. First, be sure to thoroughly rinse your quinoa. As you rinse do not be surprised to see the water running a darker color. As the water becomes clear you’ll know your grain is clean and ready to go. Add 1/2 cup of quinoa to 1 and 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Then, cover and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally until it is fully cooked. It’s as simple as that. Quinoa is a nice protein to add into salad or you can serve it hot and add some tofu and veggies. Below are the ingredients for Quinoa Salad and Tahini Dressing. Enjoy!
Quinoa Salad Ingredients
1/2 cup Quinoa
1 and 1/2 cups water
Variety of fresh vegetables julienned (carrots + red peppers chosen for this salad but you can use any fresh veggies you like)
Chopped fresh Cilantro
Fresh greens (spring mixed greens used in this recipe but again you can use what you like: kale, spinach, arugula...)
Tahini Dressing Ingredients
1/4 Cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1 Tablespoon Tahini
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1 Cup olive oil
