Summer Quinoa Salad

If you’re experiencing a summer like ours you just can’t escape the heat! And forget about cooking anything in the oven or on stove. This quinoa salad not only requires minimal cooking, but is packed with tons of refreshing veggies with a citrus dressing that is great to serve at a barbeque or as a main meal on an especially hot day. The majority of the labor comes from chopping vegetables, but you can easily prepare the mix a day in advance before mixing it with the quinoa if you want to split up the workload. I personally omitted the cucumber and mint (not a huge fan of cucumber and mint is a slightly bolder taste for my pallet), but even without these two the salad was incredible! Add extra lime if you’re into tangy dishes, or boost up the avocado if you want it to be creamier. Be generous on the chili power or add a dash or two of cayenne for a nice kick. You can’t go wrong so get creative! 

1 large cucumber, seeded and diced

2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 cup corn, rinsed

1 jalapeno (or more to taste)

1 ½ cups chickpeas, rinsed

½ cup scallions, chopped

2/3 cup parsley, chopped

1/3 cup mint, chopped

1 ripe avocado, diced

¼ cup lime juice

3 tablespoons bean liquid

1/8 teaspoon pepper

5 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp chili powder

Salt to taste

Cook quinoa by following package directions.

Combine cucumber, tomatoes, corn, jalapeno, chickpeas, avocado, and herbs and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk lime juice, bean liquid, pepper, garlic, chili pepper.

Fold veggies into cooked quinoa and toss with lime mixture.

Salt to taste.

Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Makes 5-6 side servings.