Zesty Southwest Quinoa Salad/Bowl
Are you tired of the same old meals and looking for something new and exciting to add to your menu? Look no further than this Zesty Southwest Quinoa Bowl recipe! Not only is it delicious and packed with flavor, but it’s also incredibly healthy thanks to the star ingredient: quinoa. Despite technically being a seed, quinoa is classified as a whole grain that contains fiber. Unlike other plants, quinoa is a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids that our bodies need to function properly. You’re going to want to try this Southwest Quinoa Bowl, your taste buds and body will thank you!!
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Yield: 6 Servings (1 ⅓ cups per serving)
Ingredients:
Salad:
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 (15 oz) can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 cups frozen edamame, shelled
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- ¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro
Dressing:
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp seasoning blend (with chili powder, cumin, and onion powder)
Directions:
- Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve or strainer. Rinse the quinoa until the water runs clear. Drain off any excess water.
- Place 1 cup rinsed quinoa with 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth in a medium pot; bring to boil then cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the heat and set aside.
- While the quinoa is cooking, drain and rinse the black beans. Set aside for later. Continue to prep the vegetables. Dice the peppers, onions, roughly chop the cilantro and mince the garlic. Set aside.
- Place frozen edamame in a microwave safe dish, add 1-3 tablespoons of water and steam for 4-5 minutes or until edamame is soft. Set aside.
- When quinoa is cooked add to a serving bowl. Add in the prepped veggies, edamame and beans and gently mix to combine. Set aside
- To make the dressing, combine all dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Pro tip: you can also use a blender to create the dressing.
- Once dressing is made, add it to the quinoa veggie mixture.
- Serve the salad over lettuce or mixed greens and enjoy. Optional to top with sliced avocado!
Tips and tricks:
- To cut down on cooking, purchase a packet of quinoa that can be microwaved for 60-90 seconds.
- You can purchase pre-minced or crushed frozen garlic and use a grater to quickly “chop” the onion for decreased prep time.
- Add a lean protein to turn this salad into a meal (also great for prepping lunches). Try adding ground or shredded chicken to the dish. For easy, no-cook proteins, add a packet of tuna or rotisserie chicken.
- If you prefer to go lighter on the dressing, you can swap in another healthy fat by topping your bowl with avocado.
- You can swap up the ingredients to easily add some variety to your go-to lunch: farro for quinoa, chickpeas or cannellini beans for the black beans and edamame, and basil or parsley for the cilantro will make an easy Mediterranean bowl
Nutrition Facts:
If using this recipe in your personalized ATNG meal plan, 2 Proteins, 2 Starches, 1 Vegetable & 1 Fat.
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