Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

I love eating healthy, and one of my favorite finds (that I really don't eat as often as I should) is quinoa. For those of you who don't know what quinoa is, it's a healthy seed, often prepared like a grain. It's loaded with protein and when cooked, produces a grain-like fluffy texture. A lot of health conscious people and vegetarians like to use it as a substitute for rice, etc. It has a nutty flavor and can be used in both hot and cold dishes for dinner, lunch or breakfast. What I usually like to do is cook it up and mix it into a cold salad that I can keep in the fridge and eat for several days. One cup of dry quinoa makes four cooked cups, so a little makes a lot. It's sold in every grocery store, so it's easy to find. My favorite is the Whole Foods 365 Organic Quinoa.

Even though I work out all the time and try to eat healthy the majority of the time (we all have our splurges), lately, I've been really trying to up my vegetable and protein intake even more (could be that I'm dreaming of warmer weather, which means bathing suit season...). I was doing my weekly grocery shopping yesterday and ended up loading my cart up with things such as spaghetti squash, spinach, miscellaneous veggies, cottage cheese, and quinoa. Maybe spending the weekend with my vegetarian friend, Danielle, had something to do with my veggie craving... Anyway, as you know from my lentil soup post, my husband is not a fan of veggies or anything healthy for that reason, so I'm usually challenged with when to make these kinds of things. From time to time, I'll make myself something different such as last night, when I made grilled pork chops and green beans, and made macaroni and cheese for him and spaghetti squash for me. Fortunately for him, at 36 years old and 6'3, he has the metabolism of a 15 year old boy, so his hatred of health food hasn't affected him (yet). Making my healthy dishes for lunch is usually an easier option, so I decided to make a Mediterranean quiona salad that will give me enough servings for lunch throughout the week. It was easy to whip up and super healthy, so I thought I'd share. 

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 10 oz fresh spinach
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 2/3 cup black olives, halved
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons of white or red balsamic vinegar
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 oz crumbled feta cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- lemon juice (optional)

Rinse 1 cup of dry quinoa until the water runs clear. Add to 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed and the seeds begin to enlarge and "pop." Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl or container. Stir in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and set aside.

Heat half a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir for about a minute.

Add spinach and stir, while allowing to cook down. Add tomatoes and artichokes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add to quinoa and mix well. Cover and store in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Once completely cooled, add the olives and feta. Sprinkle with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar (I use white, but red will be fine too). If you'd prefer a more mild taste, you can add less.

Before eating, drizzle with some lemon juice for an extra kick and enjoy!