Looking for a fresh, nutritious, and delicious salad that's perfect for any season? This Vegan Quinoa Salad is bursting with the vibrant flavors of fresh herbs and mixed vegetables, making it an excellent choice for a healthy lunch or a side dish at your next gathering.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: avocado slices or toasted pine nuts for garnish
Instructions:
Cook Quinoa: Rinse the quinoa under cold water until the water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove from heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow it to cool slightly.
Prepare the Vegetables: While the quinoa is cooking, dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, and finely chop the red onion and herbs.
Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Combine and Chill: In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, prepared vegetables, and herbs. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine thoroughly. Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Serve: Before serving, give the salad a final toss. Garnish with avocado slices or toasted pine nuts if desired.
Nutritional Benefits:
This salad is not only a feast for the eyes but also packed with health benefits. Quinoa is a great source of plant-based protein and contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. It's also high in fiber, which helps in digestion and maintaining blood sugar levels. The fresh herbs add not only a burst of flavor but also possess various nutritional and health benefits, including anti-inflammatory properties.
Estimated Calories:
To calculate the calorie content of the Vegan Quinoa Salad with Fresh Herbs, let's look at the main ingredients:
- Quinoa: 1 cup of cooked quinoa contains approximately 222 calories.
- Cucumber: 1/2 cup of diced cucumber has about 8 calories.
- Cherry Tomatoes: 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes contains about 15 calories.
- Red Onion: 1/4 cup of chopped red onion has about 16 calories.
- Fresh Parsley, Mint, and Basil: These herbs have very few calories, approximately 1-2 calories in total for the amount used.
- Lemon Juice: Juice of one lemon has about 12 calories.
- Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons of olive oil contain about 240 calories.
Optional Ingredients: Avocado and pine nuts would add extra calories, but since they are optional, we'll not include them in the basic calculation.
Now, let's add these up:
- Quinoa: 222 calories
- Cucumber: 8 calories
- Cherry Tomatoes: 15 calories
- Red Onion: 16 calories
- Herbs: 2 calories
- Lemon Juice: 12 calories
- Olive Oil: 240 calories
Total: 515 calories for the entire salad.
If you divide this total by the number of servings, you'll get the calories per serving.For instance, if this recipe serves 4, each serving would have approximately 129 calories.
Serving Suggestions:
This versatile salad can be served as a main dish for a light lunch or as a side dish with your favorite vegan main courses. It pairs wonderfully with grilled vegetables or a hearty stew. For an extra protein boost, you can add chickpeas or tofu.
Enjoy this delightful Vegan Quinoa Salad with Fresh Herbs and share the love of fresh, simple, and nutritious vegan cooking at your table!
Feel free to adjust the ingredients and proportions to suit your taste, and enjoy this vibrant, healthy dish!
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