Italian quinoa salad recipe
Coin-no-ah? Queen-no? Key-no? However you pronounce it, Quinoa (really pronounced keen-wah) is a whole grain you may want to consider adding to your diet. In addition to being a great source of iron, magnesium, B vitamins, potassium, and calcium, it’s also high in protein and fiber. And you know what else? It tastes great and is incredibly versatile. You can eat it hot or cold for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and even for an afternoon snack! Try this Italian Quinoa Salad recipe, it’s one of my favorite ways to prepare it!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa (any brand) rinsed thoroughly! (If you don’t rinse quinoa, it will taste bitter.) TIP: Rinse quinoa in a mesh sieve or cheese cloth so you don’t lose many of those tiny grains.
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (This is my secret to flavorful quinoa, but you can use water as most directions recommend.)
- 1 pound grape or cherry tomatoes
- 3 cloves of fresh garlic (peeled, smashed, and roughly chopped)
- 2 springs of fresh rosemary or ½ bunch of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Cook the quinoa: Boil broth, add the quinoa, return to boil, and reduce the heat. Simmer until tiny halos form around the quinoa.
- Roast the tomatoes: Line a baking sheet with tin foil and curl up sides (or cook in a shallow baking dish). Toss the tomatoes, garlic, and rosemary in the olive oil, adding salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until tomatoes burst and are slightly charred on top.
- Combine the quinoa and tomatoes: TIP: Use either the pot you cooked the quinoa in or the shallow baking dish from the tomatoes to eliminate another dirty dish!
- Serve: This salad can be eaten hot or cold. I enjoy it served inside romaine lettuce leaves or with some cucumbers for a healthy lunch salad! TIP: Try topping it with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese!
This recipe yields 4 servings.
Per serving: Approximately 205 calories, 6 g fat, 31 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, and 3 g fiber.
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