Refreshing salad of quinoa, strawberries, avocado, and citrus dressing—creamy, crunchy, bright, and satisfying.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Fruits & Vegetables
04 - 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
05 - 1 large avocado, diced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach or mixed greens
07 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
→ Nuts & Seeds
09 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds or pecans, toasted
→ Cheese (optional)
10 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
→ Dressing
11 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Thoroughly rinse quinoa under cold water using a fine mesh strainer to remove any bitterness.
02 - Combine quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool completely.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until the mixture is fully emulsified.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled quinoa, sliced strawberries, diced avocado, baby spinach or mixed greens, red onion, basil, and toasted almonds.
05 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad mixture. Gently toss to fully coat all components without bruising the avocado or greens.
06 - Evenly scatter crumbled feta cheese over the top, if desired. Serve immediately.
