Mandarin Strawberry Quinoa Salad ~
This Mandarin Strawberry Quinoa Salad is what you want on a hot summer day. It's slightly sweet, fresh and tasty, and super quick to prepare. The easiest salad to whip up when it's too hot to cook anything. The quinoa gives it protein, however if you'd like a bit more, you could enjoy this with a grilled chicken breast. The Easy Vinaigrette gives a bit of tangy flavor and also works great with many salads. I always make a big batch of this vinaigrette because I use it so often.
Ingredients:
2 cups baby spinach and arugula leaves, mixed
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup mandarin orange slices*
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
crumbled goat cheese, to taste ( I use a little under 1/4 cup)
Easy Vinaigrette:
2 Tbsp olive oil**
1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar OR apple cider vinegar***
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
Put all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.
Directions:
In a medium bowl add all salad ingredients.
Drizzle Easy Vinaigrette over top. (I like about 2 Tbsp)
Gently toss and enjoy!
This salad is best when it's made right before eating. You can easily have all the ingredients ready to go beforehand.
TIP: I often make a batch of quinoa on my food prep day so that I can easily add it to recipes like this one.
*You can use canned mandarin oranges or fresh. If you're using from a can, be sure to drain and the rinse the slices, then pat them dry before adding to the salad.
**I recommend using a high quality, organic olive oil because some inexpensive brands use substitute ingredients.
***If you don't want to use balsamic vinegar, use the same amount of apple cider vinegar instead.
If you love this Mandarin Strawberry Quinoa Salad, I'd greatly appreciate you sharing this recipe post so that others can enjoy it as well. Thank you.
Here's another salad we love on hot summer days: Chickpea Salad
