Spinach Quinoa Salad
This Spinach Quinoa Salad recipe is full of rich healthy foods like cucumber, red bell pepper, avocado, and onion. Quinoa is packed with protein and the spinach has tons of antioxidants. This salad recipe is topped with a lemon Dijon vinaigrette.
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SPINACH QUINOA SALAD
I know you guys are wondering when I’m going to be over this healthy eating business and back to football food and peanut butter chocolate treats. Soon. Very soon.
Currently we are watching the NFL Talent show. My husband’s agent called a couple of months ago and said that if submitted a video to the talent show they would send him an Iphone X.
If you didn’t know, we are the cheapest people on the planet. On our last trip to Sanibel, we had all seven of us in one hotel room that was 10×10 feet.
We brought our own blow up mattresses and those hardly fit.
Anywho, my husband submitted a video of himself playing the violin which he’s done since he was five years old so he could get a free Iphone X. For an introvert like my husband, it was definitely outside his comfort zone.
The NFL ended up sending the phone while he was out of town so I wrapped it and put in under the Christmas tree because as said above, we are very frugal and we keep Christmas minimal so free gifts are…gifts.
On Christmas morning he opened it up and was shocked. Not for the reason I thought. He had been waiting and waiting for it in the mail because he was going to give the phone to ME for Christmas.
So while I was distracted unwrapping gifts with the kids, he wrapped the phone up and handed it to me. I opened it up and said in shock and confusion, “We got two Iphone X’s?”
My husband was on the cusp for the the NFL Talent finals. Basically, depending on who made the playoffs determined whether he went or not.
To say that he was relieved the Patriots (who we normally do not want going to the playoffs) made the playoffs might be an understatement because that meant he didn’t have to compete on live T.V.
And I really didn’t want to take the phone but after he convinced me that I take most of the family photos and it has a nicer camera, I accepted it.
It’s a lot of pressure to have a nice phone and I’m just not that good with nice things. I’m clumsy and forgetful.
This Spinach Quinoa Salad is filled with healthy foods like spinach, avocado, bell pepper, cucumber, quinoa (which is a great source of protein), and a sprinkle of feta. The lemon Dijon vinaigrette is drinkable.
You can even wilt the spinach and eat this salad warm!
OTHER SALAD RECIPES:
- Crunchy Pea Salad
- Keto Broccoli Salad
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Poppy Seed Fruit Salad
- Frito Corn Salad
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Pizza Pasta Salad
Spinach Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup quinoa
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 5 ounces baby spinach, about 5 cups
- 1 avocado , pitted and diced
- 2/3 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper strips
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring the quinoa and 1 1/3 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool.
- Top spinach with quinoa, avocado, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and feta cheese.
- Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper. Pour dressing (or toss) over salad right before serving.
Super easy to pull together. Tasty combination, just right! Everyone at our gathering commented on it.
Thank you!
Great salad, just hate that it did not have the calories listed or at least missed it.
It’s at the bottom of the recipe card.
My daughter made this for Easter. So refreshing and screamed “ Spring”.
I made it for an event and got requests for the recipe.
Thank you!
Delicious, healthy, easily adaptable to what you have on hand salad. I needed a healthy option that was quick and easy to put together. I had cukes, snap peas, tomatoes and onions to add to my spinach. I loved the option of adding warm quinoa. So delicious with that dressing. Yum ❤
So glad you liked it!
I made the quinoa spinach salad but I used chopped walnuts, artichoke hearts and fresh Parmesan cheese. I modified The dressing with Bavarian mustard (a little less) And I used a little bit more of the lemon juice to brighten up the extra vegetables that I added to the dish. I served it with a homemade vegetable soup.
As a warm alternative you can have the quinoa warm with the artichokes and walnuts warmed (Together). Adding this to the spinach will wilt the spinach slightly, giving the crispy leaf a chance to come through while still being warm.
Delicious!!!
This recipe looks tasty – though I’d probably swap barley for the quinoa (equally healthy, but with a flavor that my palate likes better).
Completely random aside: are you and your husband (or his agent/publicist/etc) the sort of people that Google yourselves? Have you seen this? Its really a sweet post.
And the link. Because otherwise none of us will ever know if you’ve seen this.
https://www.thephinsider.com/2016/1/20/10796810/john-denney-miami-dolphins-long-snapper-closer-look
Aww. So true. He’s a good man. Someone did send me this when it came out. We don’t google ourselves. Never know what articles are out there until someone sends them to us. Thank you!
thats salad so good , nice excellent articel
This would be a good idea for my breakfast!
You guys and your frugal-ness is one of my favorite things about you. I still remember visiting at bunco and being so inspired by some of the things you shared with me regarding money. I’m still trying to be more like you- in every way!;-). This salad looks sooo good and we can’t wait to try it!
What?!! I wish I remembered what I said. Haha. Miss you guys. love having carrie here!