Mediterranean Quinoa Salad – Recipe!

While most salads will leave you hungry in no time, this one is different thanks to the quinoa seeds.

Namely, quinoa seeds are rich in protein (it has sufficient amounts of all essential amino acids) and fiber, which makes this food a satiating food and especially useful for weight loss.

In addition, quinoa seeds contain several B vitamins, potassium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E, and a range of beneficial antioxidants. All of the listed components have their specific beneficial impact on our health.

Additionally, the other foods present in the salad also contain a range of beneficial components, making quinoa salad particularly healthy.

For this recipe, you will need:

• 1.5 cups quinoa seeds
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large cucumber
• 1 roasted red pepper
• 50g kalamata olives
• parsley
• 2 red onions
• cherry tomatoes or regular tomatoes
• 50g cheese of your choice (feta, cream cheese, goat, sheep, or other type)

– You can also add avocado if you wish

For the dressing:

• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 1-3 cloves of garlic (to taste)
• 1 and a half teaspoons of honey
• 1 and a half teaspoons of oregano
• a little oyster sauce to taste
• half a teaspoon of salt

How does the preparation procedure go?

1) Put 3 cups of water in a cooking pot and place it on a hot stove. Wait for the water to heat up well, until it boils, then add the quinoa seeds (1.5 cups).

After a few minutes, reduce the heat and cover the pot. It will take about 15 minutes for the quinoa seeds to cook thoroughly.

After the time has passed, open the lid and check if the water has been absorbed well.

To avoid getting a too-tart salad, after cooking, it’s a good idea to lightly toast the seeds and then let them sit in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. This little trick will ensure a tastier salad.

2) Preparing the dressing: To prepare the dressing, in a small bowl, place 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1 clove of garlic, 1 and a half teaspoons of honey, 1 and a half teaspoons of oregano, a little oyster sauce to taste, and one teaspoon of salt. Mix the contents until completely combined.

3) Chop all the remaining ingredients into smaller pieces: cherry tomatoes, onion, cucumber, red pepper, olives, cheese, and avocado.

When all the salad ingredients are ready to be combined, first place the chopped vegetables, olives, and cheese in a large bowl, then add the pre-cooked quinoa, stir, and finally add the dressing, which has also been prepared.

The salad prepared this way, or any leftovers, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

The preparation time is about 20 minutes, and it can serve 5-6 people.