Rose Reisman's Quinoa Greek Salad

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenRose Reisman's Quinoa Greek Salad

Skill Level	Easy

Preparation Time	15 minutes	Total Time	15 minutes
Servings	6	Cost Per Serving	$1.85

Quinoa Greek Salad

2 cups	Vegetable Stock
1 cup	Quinoa
1/2 cup	Red Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 cup	Green Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 cup	English Cucumber (skin on), diced
1/4 cup	Black Olives, sliced
1/4 cup	Red Onion, diced
1/4 cup	light Feta Cheese, crumbled

Greek Salad Dressing

1 1/2 tsp	Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
2 tbsp	Olive Oil
1 tsp	Garlic, minced
1 tsp	Dried Basil
1/2 tsp	Dried Oregano
1/3 cup	Fresh Basil or Parsley, chopped
To taste	Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the quinoa. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl and set aside to cool.
Add the red and green pepper, cucumber, green onion, olives, red onion and feta cheese to the cooled quinoa.
Whisk the lemon zest and juice, oil, garlic, dried basil, oregano and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture and toss to coat well. Garnish with fresh basil.

PDF link to nutrition facts table for Rose Reisman's Quinoa Greek Salad

Quinoa contains all of the 9 essential amino acids our body needs to make a complete protein. Protein has many important functions in the body, such as building and repairing muscle, acting as antibodies that fight off bacteria and viruses, and transporting other nutrients around the body. One serving of this salad provides enough protein to count as 1 serving of meat and alternatives from Canada’s Food Guide.
Quinoa is rich in minerals such as iron and magnesium. One cup of cooked quinoa provides 2.76 mg of iron and 118 mg of magnesium, about 20% of your daily requirements for each mineral. Iron is essential for preventing anemia as it plays an important role in red blood cell formation. Studies suggest that magnesium may help to reduce blood pressure. Magnesium may also help prevent migraines by improving oxygen delivery to the cell.
Bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, with 1 cup providing 200% of your daily needs. Vitamin C can be damaged by heat, so eating bell peppers raw helps you to get the most of this nutrient. Vitamin C helps to maximize the absorption of iron from plant foods, so the bell peppers will help your body absorb more iron from the quinoa.