🌾 Gluten-Free
💪 High Protein
⏱️ Quick Prep
Looking for the perfect, refreshing side dish? This easy side salad features quinoa, which is naturally gluten-free, incredibly high in protein, and contains sufficient amounts of all nine essential amino acids! It's as nourishing as it is delicious.
🛒 Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 cucumbers
- 2 tomatoes
- ½ small red onion
- 10 black olives
- A handful of fresh basil
🍋 For the Zesty Dressing:
- ½ lemon (juiced)
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
- A pinch of fresh lemon zest
👩🍳 How to Make It
- Prep the Cucumbers: Wash your cucumbers and cut them in half lengthwise. Pro tip: With a large spoon, scrape out the watery seeds inside the cucumber. This prevents the salad from getting soggy later!
- Chop & Toss: Chop all of your veggies (cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, black olives, and fresh basil) into small little cubes. Transfer them to a large serving bowl along with your cooked quinoa.
- Whisk the Dressing: In a small separate bowl or jar, mix together your lemon juice, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Dress & Serve: Pour the zesty dressing over the salad, toss everything together until beautifully combined, and enjoy!
Enjoy your crisp, protein-packed bowl! This makes an amazing meal prep lunch, too.
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