A super simple 30 minute vegan green quinoa salad made with swiss chard, spinach, pesto, alfalfa, peas and avocado. The definition of health in a bowl.
After some initial stress and complications (well when you find out your boyfriend just noticed he has less than 6 months remaining on his passport and you’re no longer sure if you’ll even be let into your foreign travel destination) D and I safely landed in Nicaragua yesterday afternoon.
We were promptly greeted by the heat, humidity, and a swarm of cab drivers all vying for our attention and negotiating different rates with us. Surprising (at least to me) was the quick realization that there wasn’t going to be much English comprehension in this country. We would have to rely on my outdated Spanish. Yes I know, I took Spanish for 4 years in high school, 2 years in college and even studied abroad in Spain.
I should be better. Well six years of zero practice quickly erases the memory of the subjunctive tense and all other relevant complex phrases for someone in their late twenties (and yes upon turning 27, I am going to use the term late twenties from now on).
Luckily my language skills were strong enough to secure a sim card for us and secure a good deal on a cab to the bus station. Though apparently by the time we got to said bus station the driver himself was experiencing a bout of amnesia as he conveniently forgot our handshake on the price and came up with a different one on the spot.
We won’t be fooled so easily. We fought hard, and won paying $13 instead of $17 for the cab. Though I am pretty sure we were quickly swindled those extra $4 from the bus driver shortly after, when the price changed from $3.50 per ticket total to $3.50 per ticket each. Ya just can’t win ’em all.
After the plane, cab, bus, bicycle cab we finally made it to our final destination in the city of Leon. Nap time.
Though this obviously has nothing to do with a green quinoa salad recipe I figured a travel tale is always a good segue into food. Right?
This green quinoa salad recipe can be my farewell to quinoa for a while. Looks like it’s going to be a lotta rice as the main carb around these parts.
So as one of my last recipes that I cooked back home, you’ll bet it was quinoa. Hands down my all time favorite grain (though technically not a grain) I love making all sorts of quick one bowl quinoa salads that make for a full dinner meal.
This green quinoa salad is packed full of healthy and nutritious green color themed ingredients – pesto, spinach, swiss chard, peas, alfalfa, artichokes and avocados. Lots of green.
Health in a bowl is the best description of this green quinoa salad recipe. Quick to make and good for you! Feel free to play around with the ingredients and add in or omit whatever you like or don’t have. Possibilities are endless!
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oi
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups chopped swiss chard
- 3 ounces spinach
- 1/4 cup vegan basil pesto
- 1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
- 1/4 cup green peas fresh
- 1/2 avocado cubed
- 1/2 can artichoke hearts optional
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Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add quinoa and stir until lightly toasted. Add 1 and 3/4 cups water, and salt to taste, bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.
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In separate pan heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat and add the rainbow chard. Cook until just starting to wilt and add spinach. Cook for additional minute.
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In large bowl combine quinoa, swiss chard, spinach, pesto, alfalfa, green peas and artichokes. Mix until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Amy says
This looks delicious!