Avocado Quinoa Salad

Monday, November 29, 2021

Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest

Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest

Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest

Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest

Come over 
to the healthy side, 
have some quinoaaaaaaaa
.


Recently I've been trying to eat healthier, alongside working out.
While it is a lifestyle change, 
it's one I've been enjoying. 
So I have been on the lookout to try and incorporate healthy, 
yet delicious dishes into my meals,
without feeling like I'm depriving myself. 

Lol oh, watch me post a 
dessert recipe next...
Baby steps, baby steps.

Anyhoo, quinoa was always something
 I wanted to try. 
Upon my own research, it turns out
it's very healthy
Quinoa is a superfood, which means it's packed full of nutrients.
It's gluten-free, 
and also anti-inflammatory.
The list of benefits is endless.
I won't lie my sister did nudge me into actually giving it a try because she did, and she liked it.

Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest

I half the amount of quinoa I make
 because even 1/2 cup feeds around 4 people,
and we still have leftovers.
I did for the sake of everyone's convenience share the recipe with the standard 1 cup,
so you can follow along.
Don't feel intimidated by quinoa, 
it does take a few tries to 
perfect cooking it.
Many sites suggest different 
water to quinoa ratios, 
I found 1 3/4 cup water to 1 cup quinoa is just perfect.
Feel free to adjust 
depending on your preferences
and do not rush the steaming step.

There are many ways to serve quinoa, as well as many recipes to try. 
From a full meal to a filler for a wrap, or a side dish at a braai/bbq,
this particular recipe is very easy to make and will be a lifesaver.

Down below I share 2 types of methods,
one with step-by-step pictures and one without.


Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest


- INGREDIENTS -


Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest


1 Cup Uncooked Quinoa 
2 1/2 Cup Water

1 Medium Red Onion
1/2 Cucumber 
1 - 2 Cups Cocktail Tomatoes 
2 Avocados
Handful Fresh Coriander
 
2 - 3 Tbsp Lime Juice
1/2 tsp Salt 
1 tsp Ground Pepper 
1/4 tsp Red Chili Flakes 
1 1/2 Tbsp Oil 
1 - 2 Tbsp White Vinegar




- METHOD WITH PICTURES -


Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest

1. Firstly, let's make the quinoa. It's better to make it first so it has time to cool down for this particular recipe. Getting the right ratio of water to quinoa is very important; too much water and the quinoa will be mushy, too little water and it will be dry or still uncooked. Cooking quinoa does take some practice and don't be afraid to adjust the timings. As long as the quinoa puffs up after they steam you're in the clear, the dressing (or just a little drizzle of oil) will keep it from drying out.  

Rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for around 30 seconds, before draining well. Next, add the rinsed quinoa into a medium-sized pot, that's deep, and add 2 1/2 cups water.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat down to medium, allowing it to gently simmer. Continue cooking until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, so for approximately 15 minutes (small amounts of quinoa will be ready around the 10 minutes mark; while larger amounts of quinoa may take between 15 to 20 minutes to cook). 

Once you see all the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat, keep the pot covered, and let the quinoa steam for another 5 - 10 minutes. This step gives the quinoa time to pop open, so it’s nice and fluffy. 

Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork, I actually layer it out on a plate and I pop it in the fridge to cool down. 

Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest



2. While your quinoa is cooking, you can prep your other ingredients and keep them aside in a separate, semi-large bowl. Cube your medium sided red onion, and thinly slice or cube your cucumber (1 cup should be enough), adding it into the bowl. Next, halve or quarter your cocktail tomatoes, and also add that to your bowl.

3. Once your quinoa has finished cooking and has cooled down, add it into the bowl with the other ingredients, with some freshly chopped coriander. 

Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest

4. Cube your avocado, add it into the bowl and mix your salad altogether.

Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest


5. Now make a quick dressing you can pour over your salad. Add in your oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, vinegar and red chilli flakes. Mix it all together and give a quick taste, you may need to adjust the seasonings, depending on your tastebuds. 

6. Plate up, garnish with more fresh coriander, and refrigerate your salad till you're ready to serve it. It's best served cold, and it's a perfect healthy side dish to have with grilled chicken or even to serve for a bbq/braai. It's also very filling on its own, so it would work perfectly as a quick meal.



- METHOD WITHOUT PICTURES -


Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest

1. Firstly, let's make the quinoa. It's better to make it first so it has time to cool down for this particular recipe. Getting the right ratio of water to quinoa is very important; too much water and the quinoa will be mushy, too little water and it will be too dry or still uncooked. Cooking quinoa does take some practice and don't be afraid to adjust the timings. As long as the quinoa puffs up after they steam you're in the clear, the dressing (or just a little drizzle of oil) will keep it from drying out.  

Rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for around 30 seconds, before draining well. Next, add the rinsed quinoa into a medium-sized pot, that's deep, and add 1 3/4 cups water.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat down to medium, allowing it to gently simmer. Continue cooking until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, so for approximately 15 minutes (small amounts of quinoa will be ready around the 10 minutes mark; while larger amounts of quinoa may take between 15 to 20 minutes to cook). 

Once you see all the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat, keep the pot covered, and let the quinoa steam for another 5 minutes. This step gives the quinoa time to pop open, so it’s nice and fluffy. 

Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork, I actually layer it out on a plate and I pop it in the fridge to cool down. 

2. While your quinoa is cooking, you can prep your other ingredients and keep them aside in a separate, semi-large bowl. Cube your medium sided red onion, and thinly slice or cube your cucumber (1 cup should be enough), adding it into the bowl. Next, halve or quarter your cocktail tomatoes, and also add that to your bowl.

3. Once your quinoa has finished cooking and has cooled down, add it into the bowl with the other ingredients, with some freshly chopped coriander. 

4. Cube your avocado, add it into the bowl and mix your salad altogether.

5. Now make a quick dressing you can pour over your salad. Add in your oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, vinegar and red chilli flakes. Mix it all together and give a quick taste, you may need to adjust the seasonings, depending on your tastebuds. 

6. Plate up, garnish with more fresh coriander, and refrigerate your salad till you're ready to serve it. It's best served cold, and it's a perfect healthy side dish to have with grilled chicken or even to serve for a bbq/braai. It's also very filling on its own, so it would work perfectly as a quick meal.



- PIN IT -


It is so easy to pin a recipe you like right onto your Pinterest boards.
Simply click on the picture, and it will automatically open up to your Pinterest
where you can save the image and recipe link to any board.

Avocado Quinoa Salad, avocado, quinoa, quinoa salad, salad, vegan, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, food, recipe, food blogger, food blog, spicy fusion kitchen, side dish, braai, bbq, wrap, food photography, botswana, healthy recipe, pinterest

I hope you give this Avacado Quinoa Salad a try,
it's a delicious, healthy side dish to make and serve at any mealtime.


- OTHER SIDE DISH RECIPES -



Be sure to check out my social media, 
I share a lot of the behind-the-scenes on there and much more:
 

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8 comments

  1. This looks delicious! Such a great combination of flavors and textures.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ahhh this look delish!!! I'm gonna try this for sure!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much :) Hope you get to try it and enjoy it!

      Delete
  3. Looks good, anxious to try it1

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is an entire meal. This looks so wholesome. I am definitely trying!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do give it a try, it really is quite filling and very delicious, you won't regret it.

      Delete