Best 2 Blueberry And Cucumber Quinoa Salad Recipes

**Tantalize your taste buds with a refreshing and vibrant Blueberry and Cucumber Quinoa Salad, a delightful fusion of flavors and textures.**

This delectable salad combines the sweetness of blueberries, the crispness of cucumbers, the nutty flavor of quinoa, and a tangy dressing to create a symphony of flavors. It's a perfect side dish for summer barbecues, potlucks, or as a light and healthy lunch or dinner option. With its vibrant colors and refreshing taste, this salad is sure to be a hit at any gathering. Discover the culinary secrets behind this delightful dish and embark on a culinary journey that will leave you craving for more.

Here are our top 2 tried and tested recipes!

SERIOUSLY GOOD QUINOA SALAD

Seriously Good Quinoa Salad image

Our ultra-flavorful and satisfying quinoa salad recipe is packed with superfoods. It's easy to make and tastes incredible. Whether you already love quinoa or don't cook it often, this will become your new go-to salad. We share how to cook quinoa on the stovetop in the recipe, for other methods including cooking quinoa in the microwave or a pressure/rice cooker, see our article: How to Prepare and Cook Quinoa. If you are using leftover cooked quinoa, one cup of uncooked quinoa yields three cups of cooked quinoa.

Provided by Adam and Joanne Gallagher

Categories Salad, Main

Time 25m

Yield Makes about 8 cups

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 medium English cucumber, diced (1 cup)
1 medium bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1 baby bok choy, chopped (2 cups)
1 cup additional grated or chopped veggies like carrots or broccoli stems, optional
1/2 cup (65 grams) nuts and seeds like walnuts, pine nuts, pepitas or sunflower seeds
1/4 cup (35 grams) dried fruit, blueberries or cranberries
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh herbs; use any combination of fresh parsley, cilantro, basil, dill or mint
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Juice from 2 to 3 lemon wedges, optional

Steps:

Add quinoa to a fine mesh strainer, and then rinse under cool water for 30 seconds to a minute. Alternatively, add the quinoa to a bowl and cover with cool water. Move the quinoa around the bowl, and then drain the water and repeat once more, so the quinoa has been rinsed.
Shake the quinoa of any excess liquid. Combine the rinsed quinoa and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer and cook, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed by the quinoa, 10 to 15 minutes.
Move the saucepan off of the heat and cover for five minutes. This extra time allows the quinoa to steam and "fluff up." Uncover, and then fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set aside to cool slightly.
When the quinoa has cooled slightly, in a large bowl, combine the quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, bok choy, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and the herbs.
In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, honey (or maple syrup), salt, and pepper until blended.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Taste then adjust with additional salt and pepper as needed. For an extra pop of flavor, spritz the juice from a few lemon wedges over the salad. Serve.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 cup, Calories 282, Fat 14g, SaturatedFat 2g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 274.5mg, Carbohydrate 33g, Fiber 6.5g, Sugar 7.3g, Protein 8.8g

BLUEBERRY AND CUCUMBER QUINOA SALAD

BLUEBERRY AND CUCUMBER QUINOA SALAD image

Categories Vegetable

Yield 1

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

1/2 cup cooked Quinoa, chilled
1/4 cup fresh Blueberries
1 small Persian Cucumber, diced
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 cup fresh Spinach
Juice of 1 Lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste

Steps:

In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, cucumber, lemon juice and salt and pepper. On a plate, arrange the fresh spinach leaves, quinoa mixture and top with fresh blueberries. (Serve with grilled chicken or lean fish for a complete meal.) Nutrition Facts Serving Size Recipe serves 1 Amount per serving Calories 289 Total Fat33.9g Total Carbs16.4g Protein5.5g

Tips:

Choose ripe and fresh blueberries. This will ensure that they are sweet and juicy.
Use a variety of colors of quinoa. This will add visual interest to your salad.
Chop the cucumber into small pieces. This will make it easier to eat.
Add some chopped red onion for a bit of spice.
Use a light and refreshing dressing. A simple vinaigrette or lemon-tahini dressing would be perfect.
Serve the salad immediately or chill it for later.

Conclusion:

This blueberry and cucumber quinoa salad is a delicious and healthy side dish or main course. It is packed with nutrients and antioxidants, and it is also very easy to make. This salad is a great way to use up leftover quinoa, and it is also a great way to get your kids to eat more fruits and vegetables.