Love for Food

Strawberry Quinoa Salad

After spending the day in Central Park, I came home hot and sticky. I wanted to eat something but was not sure what. I decided to try a recipe I saw in last week's Weight Watcher flier, Strawberry Quinoa Salad.
This salad makes for a nice light dinner on a hot summer night. Quinoa is a wonderful grain because it is easier to digest than wheat and also has a lot of protein.($4.00 a box at Trader Joe's) For vegetarians, quinoa is a complete protein. The taste is somewhat similar to cous cous, and makes for a nice addition to your starch options.

Ingredients: Serves Four 1 C quinoa, rinsed
3 C whole strawberries, hulled (halved and quartered if large)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
½ C low-fat sesame-ginger salad dressing
1 5 oz container baby arugula salad blend

Method:

  • Cook quinoa according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.
  • Stir in strawberries, cucumber, and ¼ C of the dressing.
  • Combine salad blend and remaining ¼ C of dressing; toss to coat.
  • Divide salad blend among 4 plates; top evenly with strawberry mixture.
(Yields 2 1/4 C per serving.)

Cost: about $3.50 total or .87 per serving
Time: 15 minutes active, 20 minutes inactive

Nutrition Facts: Amount Per Serving
Calories 245.7

Total Fat 5.1 gSaturated Fat 0.0 gPolyunsaturated Fat 0.3 gMonounsaturated Fat 0.1 gCholesterol 0.0 mgSodium 399.5 mgPotassium 271.3 mgTotal Carbohydrate 44.1 gDietary Fiber 6.0 gSugars 11.7 gProtein 6.1 g

Weight Watcher Points: 4 points per serving