Protein Power Food - Quinoa.

For a pescatarian like myself, who eats vegetarian most of the time, it’s important for me to get in protein wherever I can. For that, Quinoa has been my go-to for years. It’s full of the stuff, and also contains a lot of fiber – both good for portion control as you don’t have to eat a lot to feel full!

My long-standing recipe is always a good option, but this week I decided that I wanted to add more of a Greek twist. So… ta-da, here’s the new and improved version – which is also lower in calories and fat – and includes an optional spicy yogurt topper. Also, since the dressing isn't mayo-based, this would be a GREAT dish to bring along to a Labor Day BBQ! 

Greek Quinoa Salad with Spicy Yogurt Topper 

Salad:

1 1/4 Cups quinoa, uncooked (follow directions on package to cook, then cool in fridge)
1/4 Cup Kalamata olives, sliced if desired
1/3 Cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 small red onion, diced
1 Cup grape tomatoes (cherry are fine too, just make sure to slice them in half)
1/2 Cup drained and chopped artichoke hearts
½ Cup Chopped cucumber
1/2 Cup crumbled fat free feta cheese

Dressing:

Juice and 1/2 zest from one lemon
3 TBSP olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Spicy Yogurt Topper (optional):

3oz. Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
2 tsp Sriracha sauce
1 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar

Directions:

Prepare Quinoa according to package directions. To cool, place pot uncovered in fridge for a couple of hours. For a quick cool, place pot uncovered in freezer for 15-20 minutes. Transfer cooled quinoa to a large bowl and add in tomatoes, parsley, cucumber, olives, artichokes, onion and cheese. Toss to combine all ingredients and add salt and pepper to taste if preferred.

For the dressing, add all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Pour over salad and stir with a spatula to evenly disperse throughout salad.

For the optional topper, simply mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.  Store separately from salad and add about a tablespoon of the mixture on top each serving.

Recipe serves 6 – (about a heaping cup each), equaling a Weight Watchers PointsPlus® value of 6.

Have any Quinoa recipes you'd like to share? Feel free to leave some ideas in the comments. Here’s to healthy and yummy eating!