Quinoa fruit salad is perfect for any patriotic-themed holiday. This healthy salad recipe is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, protein-rich, and delicious! It’s my submission for day 2 of Kick Off to Summer Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Lauren of From Gate to Plate and Summer of Summer Scraps.
Memorial Day is less than 2 weeks away, and summer’s not far behind. That’s why we’ve teamed up to give you ideas for your warm weather party activities. Each day this week, we’ll be serving up a variety of recipes and ideas for you. Everything from appetizers, main dishes, and desserts, to decor and printables. We hope you enjoy all of these wonderful ideas! You can also follow #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 on Twitter to keep up to date with all of our spectacular ideas and giveaways.
I adore the colors in this quinoa salad recipe, but I love it even more for its health benefits. It took me quite a while to jump onto the quinoa lovers train, but now that I have, I’m taking it to the end of the line with me. It’s starchy enough that I feel like I’m really splurging on carbs, but it’s super high in protein and fiber, making it a lower carb food. I listed some awesome #FoodFacts on quinoa in my vegetable quinoa salad recipe post.
In addition to the quinoa, I used fresh strawberries and blueberries in this quinoa fruit salad, then I tossed everything with a delicious citrus vinaigrette dressing. The dressing is made with fresh orange and lime juices, heart healthy olive oil, rice vinegar, and a little bit of honey for sweetness. It all adds up to pure deliciousness, and it’ll make you want to shout, “It’s yummi!”
I hope you enjoy this quinoa fruit salad recipe!
Patriotic Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (1/2 cup uncooked)
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 8 ounces fresh strawberries hulled and diced
Citrus Dressing
- 2 ounces (1/4 liquid cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- juice of one medium orange (about 3 tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- To the bowl, add blueberries and diced strawberries; set bowl aside.
- To a small bowl or a blender, add oil, vinegar, orange and lime juice, honey, and mustard. Whisk or blend until combined. Pour over quinoa and vegetables and use a spoon or salad tongs to toss,
- For tastiest results, cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld together.
Notes
Nutrition
Don’t miss out on a single recipe of this kick off to summer!
In addition to my patriotic quinoa fruit salad, here are the other recipes being shared today.
Please click through and visit these awesome bloggers! I’ll have another delicious recipe for you on Thursday, for a delicious dessert that’ll be a BANG at your Memorial Day and 4th of July parties. I hope you’ll come back and see me!
Soft Butterscotch S’more Cookies by From Gate to Plate
Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies by Keep it Simple, Sweetie
Salmon Burgers by The Haas Machine
Summer Letter Set by Summer Scraps
Creamy Corn Salad by Forty Eighteen
Classic Potato Salad by Clarks Condensed
Mini Cake Mix Sandwich Cookie Bites by Lady Behind The Curtain
Grilled Stuffed Flank Steak by Love in the Kitchen
Sun-dried Tomatoes – How to by Food Lust People Love
Carol says
Do I wait for the quinoa to cool or add everything while it’s still hot?
Becca says
Hi Carol,
You can make the fruit salad while the quinoa is warm if you want to. Quinoa cools down pretty quickly, though, or you can place it into a bowl over an ice water bath to help it cool down quickly.
Tolani says
I made this yummy salad for a 4th of July party last year. I’ve been asked to bring it again!
Chef Becca says
I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe! Happy 4th of July 🙂
Kellye says
This was amazing!! So simple and easy so I credited you when I wrote about it! Too good not to share:) you can check it out if you want.
http://www.getupanddosomething.org/4th-of-july-appetizers-5-quick-recipes/
Chef Becca says
Thank you so much for sharing it, Kellye. Happy 4th of July to you.
Christina @ It's a Keeper says
This salad is so colorful! I can’t wait to try it!
Chef Becca says
Thanks so much! I loved the fresh colors and tastes of it!
Lauren says
Hmmm… I’ve never tried quinoa before, but this salad with the berries makes me want to! 🙂
Chef Becca says
I hope you give it a try some time, Lauren! Quinoa is a great alternative to rice…less carbs (sugar) and more protein, and really delicious!