When I hear the word easy in front of salad, I think of two things. The first, being that I better not have to cook any meat. And the second, being that I better not have to make my own dressing. Those two things differentiate easy salads between more time consuming salads, in my opinion. So, this Easy Quinoa Salad I have for you today does not require that you to cook meat or make your own dressing. But, it is delicious and it also fills you up!
I use the O Organics Lemon & Olive Oil Dressing, because it’s so good, you don’t even need to make your own. I literally buy this salad dressing all the time and I use on so many salads. I’m sure you will love it! But, if you have a lemon dressing you usually make and you want to make your own salad dressing though, you totally can. If you can’t find this one, then a balsamic or an apple cider vinegar dressing would also go really well with this salad.
I always make this salad when I have leftover quinoa. But, you can cook quinoa solely for making the salad as well. The quinoa is a great addition because it makes this salad more of a meal because you get some healthy carbs too. In addition to quinoa, I use kale, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese, dried cranberries, and turkey. If you want to leave out the turkey or even substitute it for chicken you could do either of those and it would still be delicious! I love the combination of the feta and the cranberries. And when I was eating this last week, I was thinking about how good this would actually be at Thanksgiving! This salad would make an amazing addition to your Thanksgiving table. So, keep this saved for Thanksgiving too!
Check out my Chicken Sausage Greek Salad if you’re looking for more healthy salad recipes!
Why go organic?
You may be wondering why I push organic ingredients for everything, even savory and healthy dishes. Organic ingredients go beyond just health and wellness, and contribute so much to the taste and flavor of a recipe. So, if you think that you’re making something healthy and buying fruits, veggies, or meats so maybe you don’t need to spend the extra to go organic here – let me sway your thinking.
Organic ingredients are made in a more pure way, therefore using no additives, no GMOs, and minimal ingredients. This really allows the true ingredients to shine – and because of that their flavor shines through. Therefore, organic ingredients are more flavorful than their non organic counterparts. So, just because it’s already a healthy recipe, or you’re already buying good for you ingredients – it doesn’t mean you can skip organic! Trust me here, and make the switch. Your body and your taste buds will thank you!
So, I highly recommend that you buy the best organic ingredients for this recipe! You can also shop my Amazon Storefront for all my favorite organic ingredients here. Tip – hover over each ingredient to see the name. And if you want to learn more about organic foods and the difference, read my post here on Food Labels and What They Mean.
This Easy Quinoa Salad can be made for lunch or dinner. Make this healthy quinoa salad for your next meal!
Ingredients
1 cup organic kale, chopped
1/4 cup cooked organic quinoa
1/4 organic cucumber, quartered
2 slices organic red onion, diced
2 ounces Organic Valley Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup organic dried cranberries
2 ounces organic turkey, diced (optional)
Directions
- In a medium bowl, add the kale, quinoa, cucumber, onion, feta, cranberries, and turkey.
- Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat completely.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- High Altitude — Follow the recipe as noted.
Did you make this recipe?Â
Make sure to tag @mimibakescookies and @mimibakesphotos on Instagram!
Did you like this post?
Make sure to check out my Kale Apple Salad recipe, which I’m sure you’ll love too! And, share it with someone who you think will like it too!
