I don’t know about you guys, but I just love a good salad. I’m not talking about a boring leafy green garden salad. I mean a salad with OOMPH. We want that colour pop, varied ingredients, and of course it’s all about the texture too. The tangy olives, salty feta (you can use vegan or regular) and crispy chickpeas in this mediterranean quinoa salad really make it one to phone home about. Those vibrant flavours and naturally sweet roasted veggies are just totally delicious, and it packs a punch of plant based protein too.
Health Benefits
If you’ve visited Modern Food Stories before or you follow my instagram, you might have clocked on that tasty whole-food recipes is my vibe. Healthy should never have to be boring, and I’m here to prove that. I love creating recipes that not only taste great, but are simple, easy, and made with naturally healthy ingredients too.
This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is made with a base of fluffy quinoa, which is rich in protein, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals. So not only does this salad provide you with a naturally vegan source of protein, but it’s also light, fluffy, and super good for you. Perfect for those of you in the gluten free gang too. Happy days!
In addition to the quinoa, this salad also has health-food brownie points from the chickpeas and roasted veggies. They say you should eat the rainbow to get all your nutrients in, and this salad will give you a pretty good head start on that.
Meal prep
We all live busy lives, and sometimes the last thing you want to be doing after a long day is spend even more time cooking.
Making the most of our time in the kitchen means we can maximise our time to ourselves. Apply the ‘work smarter not harder’ ethos to the way you think about food prep. Why spend every evening cooking up something completely new when you can simplify it for yourself? This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is the perfect vegan recipe for those of your with busy schedules.
Not only is it super nourishing and packed with plant powered goodness to keep you energised, but you can make a big batch ready for the week ahead. Make sure you keep it in an air-tight container in the fridge though, we don’t want any funky tasting lunches.
This recipe also makes a delicious, summery side to any BBQ or evening meal. It compliments tofu or chicken (for you flexitarians) really well, and is a delicious way to cram in some of your 5 a day into your dinner.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 3 courgettes, cubed
- 1 pepper, seeded + cubed
- 1 small red onion, cubed
- 1/2 cup olives, destoned + torn
- 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, torn
- 1/2 cup vegan feta (or regular if you prefer)
- 1 jar chickpeas (600g)
DRESSING
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 5 basil leaves, finely sliced
- 3/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp dijon
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- Salt + pepper to taste
Method
QUINOA
- Rinse the quinoa. Place in a pan with the water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 - 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. turn off the heat and cover with a lid and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
DRESSING
- Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
ROASTED VEGGIES
- Place the courgettes, peppers, onion and chickpeas on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Toss with 1/3 of the dressing and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 30 - 40 minutes until to your liking.
ASSEMBLY
- Add cooked quinoa, roasted veggies, olives, sun dreid tomatoes, basil, vegan feta, and rest of the dressing to a mixing bowl. Toss to combine and season to taste.
Nutrition (per serving)
