Greek Veggie Protein Salad

This Greek Veggie Protein salad was created when I was trying to cook a quick and healthy meal filled with protein and some delicious vegetables…..and it turned out delectable! This makes a wonderful lunch or a light dinner. Enjoy!

Preparation + Cook Time: 45 minutes

Makes about 5-7 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C Lentils
• 1/2 C Quinoa
• 5 Tbsp Olive Oil (divided)
• 4 C Riced Cauliflower
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 Can Chickpeas, Drained
• 1/4 C Tahini
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 2 C + 2 Tbsp Water (divided)
• 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Minced Garlic
• 1/3 C Red Onion. chopped
• 1 C Sliced Radish
• 1 C English Cucumber, chopped
• 3 C Shredded Carrot
• 1/4 C Chopped Greek Pepperoncinis
• 1 C Roughly Chopped Parsley

Instructions:

1. In 2 separate pots, cook the 1/2 C of lentils in 1 C of water and the 1/2 C of quinoa also in 1 C of water. They cannot be cooked together as they have different cooking times. When cooked, drain and set aside to cool.
2. In a wok, saute the 4 C of riced cauliflower in 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 8 minutes until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cooled lentils, quinoa, and riced cauliflower. Add the chickpeas.
4. Add the red onion, radish, cucumber, carrot, pepperoncinis, and parsley to the bowl and stir.
5. Make the dressing: In a small container combine 1/4 C tahini, juice of 1 lemon, 2 Tbsp water, 4 T olive oil, 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and 1/2 tsp minced garlic. Whisk together. Pour the dressing over the salad and combine until it is thoroughly mixed through.
6. Serve in bowls.

Super Green Quinoa Salad

This is a very light and easy quinoa salad that everybody will love. I recommend keeping it in the fridge and serving it chilled. It will stay fresh in the fridge for about 5 days. Enjoy!

Preparation + Cook Time: 30 minutes

Makes about 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 C Quinoa (uncooked)
• 3 C (packed) Spinach
• 1/2 C Fresh Cilantro
• 1/4 t Minced Garlic
• 4 T Olive Oil
• Juice of 1/2 a Lime
• 1/4 C  Chopped Red Onion
• 1/2 C Chopped Cucumber
• 1/2 C Canned Organic Sweet Corn, Drained
• 1/3 C Toasted Pine Nuts
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions:

1. Cook the 1 C quinoa in 2 C of water. This should take about 15 minutes.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the green sauce. In a food processor, blend the spinach, cilantro, minced garlic, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste, and 2 T of water. The sauce should be almost completely liquified- There should be no large chunks of spinach. Set aside.
3. Once the quinoa is cooked, put it in a bowl and let it cool.
4. Add the chopped red onion, chopped cucumber, organic sweet corn, and toasted pine nuts into the quinoa bowl. Slowly stir in the green sauce until the quinoa is covered evenly. Add salt and pepper as needed.
5. Chill the quinoa salad in the refrigerator until it is ready to be served.

*If you would like to include more protein to this quinoa salad, it tastes great with chickpeas added to it.

Benefits of this recipe:

-Quinoa is loaded with Potassium and Magnesium which supports a healthy heart. Eating quinoa also supports bone health, a healthy digestive system, and contains disease-fighting antioxidants.

-Spinach aids in detoxifying the body and supporting liver function. It is a great source of fiber, boosts immunity, preserves skin health, and defends against heart disease.

The information on the benefits of the ingredients was researched from http://www.draxe.com