I love recipes like this for the simple fact that they’re so versatile. I call these my base recipes. I’ll make a big batch of a “base” recipe on a Sunday, and then add new ingredients throughout the week so it doesn’t get boring. A quinoa salad is a great option because it can be eaten cold as part of a salad, or warmed up as a side dish or base for a meal.
This version actually took me through a full week, and some days I was eating it twice a day (lunch and dinner). It never got dull because I was able to mix and match to make keep things interesting. I’ve included the base recipe below, but I’ve also added in a few of my weekday tweaks!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa (cook according to the package and then set aside to cool)
- 1 can of black beans, rinsed
- 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed
- 1 can of corn, drained
- 1 can of black olives, sliced
- 1 can of hearts of palm, diced
Recipe
- Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, except the hearts of palm
- Scoop out individual portions and top with the hearts of palm
- Season with salt, pepper and olive oil
- Yup, that’s it! You’re done!
Modifications
- During the week for lunch, I diced up bell pepper and crab meat and added some hot sauce
- Another lunch option is tossing in a can of tuna and topping your salad with some fresh avocado
- On another night, I chopped up some roasted cauliflower and broccoli and heated up the quinoa mix- you can also serve with roasted chicken or fish
- Since it has a bit of a mexican feel, toss in some red bell peppers, pickled jalapenos and ground turkey or beef. Top with some salsa if you want a bit of heat
See, the possibilities are endless! and most of the heavy lifting was done in one shot with your meal prep
I’ll surely try this one!