Tri-Color Quinoa Salad

Embrace the delicious flavors of the Mediterranean with this irresistible tri-color quinoa salad. It's loaded with unique textures and seasonings, keeping your tastebuds engaged with every bite. This dish embraces the colors of the rainbow: each ingredient contains unique nutrients that contribute to health. Remember, just because you are managing diabetes doesn't mean you have to say goodbye to whole grains!

This dish can help stabilize complex carbohydrates and fiber to energize you between meals. So, embrace a plant-forward healthy dish and enjoy this recipe as a side or a tasty entrée. It's the perfect make-ahead meal to cut down on food prep throughout the week. Pro tip: if you make a large quantity of this recipe, keep the dressing separate to extend the freshness of the salad.

Makes 9 servings
Serving Size: 1 cup
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients for tri-color quinoa salad

• 2 cups sprouted quinoa (dry)
• ½ red bell pepper
• ½ small cucumber
• 5 heirloom cherry tomatoes
• 3 tbsp hemp hearts
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp za'atar seasoning
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Directions for tri-color quinoa salad

1. According to the quinoa package instructions, bring 3 cups of water to boil in a small pot.
2. Lower the heat to a simmer and add rinsed quinoa. Cover the pot and allow it to cook for 15 minutes until the water has evaporated.
3. Remove from heat. Keep quinoa covered for additional 5 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork and let cool.
4. Dice the pepper, cucumber, and tomatoes and combine in a large bowl.
5. Add olive oil, lemon juice, zaatar, salt, and pepper in a smaller bowl to make the dressing. Mix or whisk until thoroughly incorporated.
6. Add cooled quinoa and hemp hearts to the vegetable mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined.
7. Add dressing to the quinoa mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Scroll down to see the nutrition facts for this recipe!