Cucumber Avocado Quinoa Salad
Jul 28, 2015 in dairy-free, epicurious, recipes, salads, sides, taste, vegan, vegetarian, 10 minutes, avocado. Read the original on: Simply Quinoa
I hope you like green food, because this salad is GREEN.
First though… avocados. It’s been too long since I shared a recipe using avocados (over a month, what the whaaat!?) and since they’re my favorite thing on earth, we’re going a little avo-crazy today.
They’re the base of this lovely cucumber avocado quinoa salad which is made up of all sorts of wonderful green goodness. With big chunks of buttery avocado, contrasted with crunchy cucumbers and fluffy quinoa, it’s hard to stop at one serving.
Especially when you add the dressing!
In my perfect world, I’d have an avocado tree growing right here by my desk. If I got hungry all I’d have to do was reach over and snatch one off the branch and scoop out the creamy flesh. Maybe add just hint of lime juice and salt. (read: most perfect snack ever!)
Sadly, life in a teeny tiny apartment on the East Coast will NOT yield a fruitful avocado tree.
So I’ll have to settle, picking up the big cahunas at the grocery store. And even if they are $3.00 a piece, they’re totally worth it. You can’t beat a perfectly ripe avocado!
One thing I can count on though, is fresh, local cucumbers. This time of year our farmer’s market is practically overflowing with them. So each Sunday I snatch up at least 5 and use them throughout the week. Whether on salads, added into my smoothies or just for a quick, refreshing snack, cukes are a go-to for me.
Combining avocados and cucumbers together doesn’t totally make sense but totally works. They’re the perfect contrast in texture: avocado being thick and silky smooth, and cucumbers being watery and crisp. And since they both have fairly subtle flavors, they can go with pretty much everything.
Like this dressing.
This dressing you guys. It’s SO good.
By now you know that I’m pretty much obsessed with creamy dressings and I love making them at home (ick to the store bought stuff…we like it all natural, baby!). Today’s is a raw cashew base with some fresh herbs – parsley and cilantro – spinach, scallions, lime juice and tamari. It’s bright, flavorful and full of yummy goodies.
All you have to do to make the dressing is simply whizz everything together with a touch of water in your blender until smooth. Then pour it over the cucumbers, avocado and quinoa, and toss it all together. It’s easy peasy! I think the entire thing took me under 10 minutes.
For serving, I suggest serving this as a side dish or if you want to stretch it a little bit, just do what I did. Put it over some greens!
I dressed my greens in a simple vinaigrette of olive oil and lemon juice, then added this avocado quinoa salad on top. It was the perfect lunch. And in all reality, will also be my dinner tonight. I’m all about the leftovers.
So who’s ready to get avocado crazy with me? Let’s dive in avo-friends!
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Cucumber Avocado Quinoa Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
inspired by Healthier Steps
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber
- 1 large avocado
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 - 3/4 batch dressing
- Hemp seeds for garnish (optional)
for the dressing:
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 cup spinach
2 scallions
Juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Salt and pepper (optional)Instructions
- Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Cut into bite-sized pieces and scoop into a large mixing bowl.
- Slice the cucumber lengthwise down the middle. Then cut into three equal, long strips. From there, chop the cucumber into cubes and add it to the mixing bowl.
- Add quinoa and set aside.
- Add water, cashews, herbs, spinach, scallions, lime juice and soy sauce to a high-powered blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
- Pour about 1/2 - 3/4 of the dressing over the mixing bowl and toss to combine. If you want more dressing, go for it and add the rest!
- Serve and sprinkle with hemp seeds.
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http://www.simplyquinoa.com/cucumber-avocado-quinoa-salad/Copyright © 2010-2014 by Simply Quinoa, All Rights Reserved. This recipe, and the photos associated with this recipe, are the property of Simply Quinoa. Do not duplicate this recipe without written consent by its owner.
Other Yummy Avocado Recipes:
Avocado Toast with a Twist (Simply Quinoa)
Grilled Veggie Quinoa Salad with Avocado (Simply Quinoa)
Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad (Natasha’s Kitchen)
Avocado Hummus (Cooking Classy)
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The post Cucumber Avocado Quinoa Salad appeared first on Simply Quinoa.
Read the original on: Simply Quinoa
Simply Quinoa, Alyssa Rimmer
I'm Alyssa, the writer and photographer behind the gluten-free website Simply Quinoa. My passion is creating wholesome, nutrient-rich recipes all with a little quinoa twist.
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