Here in Switzerland the weather is getting warmer and it’s starting to feel more and more like summer is around the corner. My boyfriend and I have increasingly been having our lunch and even dinner on the balcony, which is making us enjoy our apartment on another level. One of my go-to dishes for an easy yet varied lunch is a bountiful quinoa salad.

This light salad is such a great dish to throw together with leftover quinoa. I recommend batch cooking some quinoa the night before. Once it’s waiting for you in the fridge you can add some fresh ingredients, whip up a dressing and serve it up in no time. Especially great for if you’re working at home and want something that feels like a lot of effort has gone into it, but actually lets you maximize your lunch break. We’ve been going for sunny walks outside, which is a great way to clear the head.

Feel free to deviate from the recipe ans use whatever fresh veggies and herbs you have at hand. The recipe is mainly about the dressing, which you can use for countless creative combos.

Summery Quinoa Salad with Cashew Dressing

Makes: ca. 4 servings (dressing)

Ingredients: Dressing

• 2 tbsp cashew butter (variation: tahini also works well)
• 2 tbsp mylk (I used plain rice mylk)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 0.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp coarse-grained or strong mustard (I’ve also used a jalapeño mustard with this)
• salt & pepper to taste

Ingredients: Salad

• leftover quinoa (cooked in salted water)
• fresh lettuce, chopped; ca. 1 handful per person
• fresh arugula or spinach; ca. 1 handful per person
• grated carrot; ca. 1/2 medium carrot per person
• chopped cucumber
• smoked tofu (cubed) and/or chickpeas or lentils
• nuts & seeds (e.g. chopped walnuts, roasted hazelnuts, slivered almonds; sunflower, hemp or ground flaxseeds)
• dried fruit (e.g. raisins or cranberries) or fresh fruit (e.g. sliced orange or grapefruit)

Method

1. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or cup, whisking with a spoon until it’s all smooth. Should you want it to be runnier, just add a little bit of liquid (mylk or water) at a time.
2. Mix the leftover, cold, quinoa together with the washed and chopped greens as well as the vegetables you’re using. You can include the chopped nuts, seeds and dried fruit at this stage or use only as a topping. Stir the dressing through and drizzle some extra on top, adding any desired toppings.

Enjoy! 

Feel free to tag @blueberrysmiles22 if you share your creations on Instagram, so I can share in the joy 🙂