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Watermelon Quinoa Salad
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Watermelon Quinoa Salad

Watermelon Quinoa Salad - This meal is light and very healthy. Leftovers are delicious on day two. 
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 340kcal
Author Deb Clark

Ingredients

  • 6 cups watermelon cut into small bite sized pieces
  • 1 cup dry quinoa
  • 4 oz feta cheese crumbled
  • ½ cup almonds or walnuts
  • 2 cups arugula lightly packed
  • ¼ cup kalamata olives cut in half
  • 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • balsamic reduction - optional recipe below

Instructions

  • Cook the quinoa according to package directions. When complete, drain and set aside to cool.
  • Toast the almonds (or walnuts) in a dry pan on top of the stove over medium-low heat. It will take about 10 minutes to toast them. Watch the pan as you will need to shake it occasion to ensure they do not burn. When they are toasty brown, remove them from the heat and immediately remove them from the pan (If they are left in the pan, they will continue to cook and may burn) and set them on the cutting board. When they are cool enough to handle, give them a chop. You'll want large, crunchy pieces.
  • Cut the watermelon into small bite sized pieces. Put these in a large bowl with the kalamatra olives. When cooled add the quinoa and nuts. Add the crumbled feta cheese and arugula. Drizzle with olive oil and an entire lemon. Toss together well, transfer to a beautiful bowl and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Enjoy!
  • This salad is best super cold, so it makes sense to cook the quinoa the day before and chop the watermelon and refrigerate them overnight. The next day assembly is super easy!
  • Balsamic Glaze - 1 cup of good balsamic vinegar. Place in a non-reactive pan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Turn your fan on because the vinegar is quite pungent! Reduce to medium and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes until the vinegar will coat the back of a spoon. Once cool, tuck it into the refrigerator - it will continue to thicken as it cools. This will last a week in your refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1125IU | Vitamin C: 22.9mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 2.3mg