Summer is salad time. Salads are a must at backyard barbecues, pot luck dinners, pool parties, and suppers where it’s better not to heat up the kitchen. Light and Summery Quinoa Salad is perfect for any summer get-together, and because Quinoa has a high protein content and the salad has lots of fresh vegetables and minimal fat, it’s quite healthy. It’s tasty, too, so it’s always a winner. This salad is a loose adaptation of a recipe from an excellent children’s cookbook, The World In My Kitchen: Global Recipes for Kids to Discover and Cook. Although the salad is savory, it has chunks of fresh oranges which seem to add a bit of sunshine.

If making this salad ahead, you can mix in everything except the avocado and oranges and refrigerate. Just before serving, stir them in. For a more substantial salad, add leftover shredded chicken, pork, or steak.

12 Servings


1 cup quinoa, rinsed with cold water and drained
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh mint, (optional)

2 large oranges, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
2 avocados, peeled and cut into chunks
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 cup frozen corn, rinsed and drained

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

lime wedge, for garnish
Mint sprigs, for garnish

1. Place the quinoa, water, and salt in a rice cooker and let cook until tender; alternately, cook on the stovetop according to package directions.
2. Place the quinoa in a serving bowl.
3. Whiz the lime juice, vegetable oil, and mint in a magicBullet or blender; toss with the quinoa and let cool thoroughly.
4. Mix the orange pieces wth the avocado pieces, and stir so that the juice from the oranges coats the avocado to prevent browning.
5. Stir the mixture into the quinoa along with the bell pepper dices, frozen corn, and crumbled feta.
6. Garnish with lime wedges and mint sprigs.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 208 Calories from Fat 104
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 50% Protein 9% Carb. 41%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 12 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Cholesterol 8 mg
Sodium 209 mg
Total Carbohydrate 21 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 5 g

Vitamin A 23% Vitamin C 83% Calcium 0% Iron 11%