I love saying quinoa. It's pronounced keen-wah. Quinoa is wonderful source of protein, and I buy it at the health food store but the supermarkets also sell it. It is a distant cousin to beet and spinach. Great for breakfast, topped with nuts and some maple syrup.
Here is one of my favorite new salads using quinoa. Perfect for summer too.
4 cups of cooked quinoa (I used red, but any variety is fine)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
About 4 cups of roasted (chopped) vegetables (I used carrots, zucchini and onions)
2 cups of raw baby spinach
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
Greek salad dressing of your preference
Place the cooked quinoa, roasted veggies and their juices in a large ceramic bowl and mix together. Toss in the spinach and stir. It will wilt as you toss it. Add the olives and mix. Pour about 1/4 cup of the salad dressing over the quinoa, and mix until coated. Add the feta cheese and allow it to sit for a bit or refrigerate it. Serve at room temperature as the flavor is nicer. You might want to add more dressing at this time since the quinoa and veggies will absorb some of the dressing.
Delicious with grilled chicken or shrimp. Also good as a leftover in a sandwich wrap.
Recipe adapted from a local cook, Heidi Jones.
Thank you for visiting!
Debbie
