Quinoa is a pretty amazing food. Packed with nutrients and protein this “grain” is a great addition to any meal. This salad uses it in two different ways to double up on both the nutrition and the flavor!
Starting off the new year I’ve been looking to further my diet changes in a healthier direction. A simple change I made is substituting rice with quinoa, which meant more protein and fewer carbs! With all this quinoa in my house, however, I decided to revisit an old salad my mom used to prepare with it. I thought of how I could add to it and once again, like many other recipes of mine, a new creation was formed off of my mom’s original idea. There’s the sweet and refreshing salad with the watermelon for volume and the feta for flavor topped with the crunchy quinoa for added texture and even more flavor complexity. This dish is a very simple but extremely satisfying and healthy meal.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
- Vinegar
- Olive Oil
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
- Feta Cheese
- Watermelon (cubed)
- Mint Leaves (sliced in a chiffonade)
- Garlic Powder
- Paprika
Directions
1First, take a 1/2 cup of the cooked quinoa and add it to a baking tray. Drizzle some olive oil over it and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Bake these at 400°F until they’re crunchy.
2While the crispy topping is baking, add the rest of the quinoa into a bowl and add in a splash of vinegar and olive oil. Mix thoroughly and then season with salt and pepper.
3Now, its time to finish it off. Add the watermelon, sliced mint leaves, and feta cheese and mix again. Finally, top it off with the crispy quinoa and you’re done. Enjoy!
