Zesty & Spicy Mexican Quinoa Salad

This week at Chews Healthy, we will be making a vegan friendly Mexican inspired Quinoa Salad. This salad is great served up with any main dish, such as grilled chicken breasts. Not to mention that it tastes even better the next day while it sits in your fridge, this allows all of the flavours to become infused together. This salad is enriched high levels of protein and has a small kick of spice for those who love the heat.

For those who do not know about quinoa, it is an ancient, gluten-free grain, which was "...originated in the Andeanregion of Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru, where it was successfully domesticated 3,000 to 4,000 years ago".[1] Quinoa can be used in a large variety of dishes from salads, to breakfast to dinner, it can be used anytime of day and is a great replacement for dishes that require a rice side dish. "One of the best reasons to enjoy quinoa is because it has a high-protein content, which makes it a great cholesterol-free and low-fat source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. According to the USDA nutrient database, 1 cup of cooked quinoa (185 g) contains 8.14 grams of protein. To put that in reference, the recommended daily protein intake is about 56 grams for most men and 46 for most women." [2]

This recipe is the easiest to recreate to date on Chews Healthy, so let's get started!


Salad Ingredients

Yield: 4

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

• 1 Cup Quinoa, uncooked
• 1 Can Non-Creamed Corn, rinsed and drained
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 1 Jalapeno, diced seeds in
• 1/3 Cup of Fresh Cilantro
• 1 Ripe Avocado
• 1 Can Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 Ripe Plum Tomatoes, diced seeds removed
• 1/4 Cup of Yellow Onion, diced

Dressing Ingredients

Light and Zesty Dressing

• 1/4 Cup of Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Table Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Pepper
• 1 Pinch of Chili Flakes
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Cumin
• 1 Teaspoon of Chili Powder
• 1 Teaspoon of Oregano
• 1 Lime, juiced

Directions

The first step to make this delicious and simple recipe is to combine 1 Cup of Quinoa and 2 Cups of Water into a small to medium pot. Please note that some quinoa will have different directions, so make sure the follow the directions on the package! Cover the pot and stir every 3-5 minutes, the quinoa will become swollen and fluffy. Once all of the water has evaporated, your quinoa is ready to be mixed.

While the quinoa is cooking, chop-up all of your veggies and place them into a large mixing bowl as shown. Once your quinoa is cooked, you're ready to mix the cooked quinoa and veggies together. You can eat it right away, but I prefer it to be cold or at least room temperature. Once you're satisfied with your mixing abilities, your Zesty & Spicy Mexican Quinoa Salad is ready to be served.

Bon Apetit!

[1] Kolata, Alan L. (2009). "Quinoa". Quinoa: Production, Consumption and Social Value in Historical Context. Department of Anthropology, The University of Chicago.

[2] Hackett, Jolinda, (2013). "Quinoa Nutrition Facts".