“Here she is with yet another quinoa recipe,” you may be saying. And you’d be right. I’ve certainly expressed my love of quinoa both here and on numerous other recipe blogs. This high protein, power packed grain is the perfect addition to salads, can be served as a side dish on its own, tastes delicious either hot or cold, and is quick and easy to prepare. What’s not to like?
I eat a lot of salads. A lot of salads. Salads are cool (literally), salads are fast, making a salad doesn’t heat up your house. All this stuff in important during the summer in La Quinta, where we generally say goodbye to two digit temperatures from June through September.
Just because they’re called salads, don’t be thinking that they are some kind of wimpy lettuce and tomato concoction designed to create fast weight loss. My salads have substance. They have oomph. They are hearty. I’d say this is because I have to please a man, my husband, but I’d be lying. I’m the one with the appetite, and my salads satisfy.
Quinoa, Avocado, and Mandarin Orange “Chicken” Salad
Ingredients
1 package Mandarin Orange “Chicken” (Both Gardein and Trader Joes have excellent choices)
1 cup quinoa, prepared according to package directions, cooled or chilled
3 cups mixed greens
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
8 oz can mandarin oranges, drained and split (half for the salad, half for the dressing)
1/4 cup sliced almonds, roasted
1/2 cup edamame, cooked and chilled
1 avocado, cut into small chunks
Mango/Mandarin Vinaigrette (see below)
Directions
Prepare the Mandarin Orange “Chicken” according to package directions. (In spite of the heat, I chose the baked method because they come out crispier that way). I let them cool a little.
Prepare the quinoa and set aside to cool, or refrigerate for an hour to chill.
Combine all the ingredients and toss together. Serve.
Mandarin Mango Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen mango
1/2 can (8 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/8 cup agave syrup
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Put all the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
There you have it. Another quinoa/summer salad. Around here we’ve got another two months of hot weather. Stay tuned, I’ll probably be serving up some more.
Are you a salad eater? Do you have a favorite? Isn’t quinoa the most awesomest food ever?
Yum! I haven’t cooked with quinoa in a while. I can’t wait to try this!
Eat more quinoa, I tell you! It is delicious and good for you (I think the quinoa people should be paying me :-)).
This looks absolutely amazing. I had a quinoa salad for lunch today and now I want one again – yours!!
Thank you. I’m glad I’m keeping your appetite up. 🙂
LIVE FROM LA QUINOA?
new blog title? 🙂
I, for one, love the recipes as I tend to get STUCK in a food rut.
Great idea for a title. May I steal it? 🙂
Some would say that quinoa was my rut.
I love salads! I try to have one a day at least. The dressing sounds yummy! Thanks for sharing!
I find salads are such a great way to get a variety of vegetables, especially into my husband who won’t eat many cooked veggies. The dressing started as a mango lime vinaigrette that I’d made before, but when I didn’t have enough frozen mango, I decided to try it with the mandarin oranges. Good thing it turned out delicious!
I love salads in the summer…and I’m loving your addition of quinoa. I’m always looking for new ways to use it. Yum!
I use quinoa in salads a lot. I love the flavor, plus it adds an extra punch of protein.
I love salads! They never get old!
Fortunately, because old salads are pretty yucky 🙂
Looks yummy. Pinned!
Thanks! It was!
This looks absolutely aweso
That looks freakin delish! I love quinoa and have been making a salad with it almost every day, but with avocado, mango, corn, and pecans. I LOVE mandarins so will have to try this!
Mmm, your combination sounds pretty delicious too!
Grr! That posted too fast!!! I meant that looks awesome and it has nearly all my favorites combined into one!! What a great mix! I can’t wait to try it! Just need the avocado!! Spalove
lol Yes, you definitely need the avocado. I put it in almost everything! Thank goodness I live in California where we have them all the time.
I am so looking forward to summer – that’s when I need and love the salads! This looks gorgeous. I might come back to visit in a month or so 😉
By the time you get to your summer, I’ll have even more summer recipes!
Can’t. Pin. Fast. Enough.
Yum.
Ahhh, thanks!
This looks so good! Im going to pin it too so I can make it some day!
Thank you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂
Hi Debbie,
I must say that I noticed your passion for Quinoa, especially quinoa salads. I am hearing so many people discussing quinoa lately, and all of them seem to say that it tastes really good if you mix it with the right ingredients. I surely must try your deliciously looking salad.
Yes, if you haven’t tried quinoa you definitely should. It is very good for you, has the most protein of any grain. I even like it plain, but it goes great with salads in particular.
Yum! I love fresh salads like that…thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome.
This salad sounds delicious! Especially the dressing….yum!
The dressing was kind of an accident. I didn’t have enough mango, so decided to use the mandarin oranges. A happy accident, anyway.
YUM that looks good!! I’m loving all the quinoa recipes – I just (gasp!) bought my first box of quinoa to try making and I had NO idea what to do with it! I’m pretty pumped to try it!!
Ha, you’re so funny. Gee, I know somewhere you can find recipes!
Yum, I am making this for sure 🙂
Hurray! Just do it!
Love, love, love salads!
Funny, but I’m just putting together a post on MY favorite salad recipes. Like minded, aren’t we!
Great minds think alike! I anxiously await your salad post.
obvy…i need to bite the bullet and make the 45 min trek to trader joes to get the delicious foods you showcase here!!!
Ha! While I do love TJs most of the food I use is available at other supermarkets. Ralphs, Fresh & Easy carry Gardein (and others probably), quinoa is everywhere. Other than that, it’s veggies & fruit! 🙂 Of course everything is cheaper at Trader Joes, so you can make the drive, stock up and save.
I love the sound of this combination of salads! Mango, orange, lime, avocado, yum! I love love love grain salads! Pinning!
Thanks for the pin. Yes, this salad is like all my favorite foods in one bowl!