Super Easy Mediterranean Style Salad!

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I’ve never really been the “salad as a main course” type of eater. Up until recently, I always believed that salads wouldn’t really fulfill my appetite and would leave me wanting to eat more. So I only ever had it as a side and I agreed when people jokingly called it “rabbit food.” But then I went to a salad place called Sweet Green and had one of their warm salad bowls and babyyyyyyy! It was super good! Plus I’ve tried some other places and now I’m sold. My ideas of what a salad can be have evolved! (This is not an ad lol).

However, I usually prefer to make my own meals because it’s fun and cost effective! Thanks Sweet Green but sis needs to save her coins. So I decided to make my own Mediterranean style salad infused with all of the tasty ingredients I love. It’s a super easy recipe that you can make at home and for very, very much less than your local salad vendor.

What You’ll Need:

• 4.5 cups of chopped kale (or spinach)
• 1 cup of quinoa + 1.5 cups of water
• 1 quarter of chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup of sliced sweet peppers
• 1/3 cup of cherry/grape tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of feta cheese
• 1/4 cup of pitted olives
• 1/2 chopped cucumber
• chopped parsley
• salt
• pepper
• lemon juice
• olive oil or Mediterranean Style dressing
• A bowl with a lid

Optional:

• Avocado
• Chickpeas

Directions

1. Bring 1.5 cups of water to boil in a small pot and add your 1 cup of quinoa. You will have some left over to make additional servings of this salad for later in the week or to serve with another meal. But if you prefer not to have left overs, use 3/4 cup of water and 1/2 of quinoa. Lightly salt and butter to taste. Cook for 20 minutes or until grains have softened and are released from the shell. (With the provided water to quinoa ratio, the grains should be perfectly soft but not mushy.)
2. Thoroughly wash the kale (or spinach) and, if it doesn’t already come chopped, chop into your preferred size. Add this to your bowl.
3. Chop your red onion and add to bowl. Add chopped cucumber.
4. Slice washed cherry tomatoes in half and add to bowl.
5. Add feta cheese, sweet peppers, and olives. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste as desired. Add chopped parsley.
6. Add chopped avocado and chickpeas, if desired (I usually do). For the chickpeas, I like to stirfry them in a nice spicy curry sauce for added flavor.
7. Add cooked quinoa.
8. Optional: Cover bowl with lid and shake vigorously for 10 – 15 seconds to allow contents to mix, if that’s your style. And voila!

I hope you enjoy this simple but delicious and hearty salad. That it is fulfilling for you as it has been for me! A perfect option for lunch and great when followed by a piece of fruit. Let me know what you think in the comments below!

With power and love,

~ Helena