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You are here: Home / Cooking Times / b) 30 - 60 mins / Rainbow Quinoa Salad

Rainbow Quinoa Salad

19th September 2017 - By Michelle Minnaar
This post may contain affiliate links.

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Rainbow quinoa salad is the perfect vegan salad for everyone. It’s one of those salads which can make even the hardiest meat eater reconsider his ways. Firstly, it looks amazing with all the different vegetables. Secondly, this salad is so nutritious and delicious, it is a balanced meal by itself. There’s no need for serving it as a side dish with some meat or fish. Finally, you can add just about any vegetable or nut to this rainbow quinoa salad. Therefore, you can minimise waste in your own household and use up any leftover ingredients. Even these small things matter when it comes to saving the planet step-by-step. Let’s face it, we all have a responsibility to be more waste-conscious in our day-to-day lives!

Lunch Salad

the festival of ideas

The Festival of Ideas, New Scientist Live, is returning for its second-year from 28 September to 1 October 2017. Although the talks touch on plenty of areas of human life, there is one session of particular interest to me. This is the talk on feeding the world, by none other than the population biologist Charles Godfray. Charles Godfray, from the University of Oxford, explores our current global food system and ways to adapt to the challenges in the 21st century. His main focus is on the relationship between food and its production. You can access the website for more information on the talk here: https://live.newscientist.com/speakers/charles-godfray

So, let us explore into the world of food, production and waste management. It is easy to point blame at governments and large corporations but on a personal level we all bear some responsibility one way or the other. Statistics show that waste is spread throughout the food chain. It also concentrates on where we have the capacity to act, both at home and at work. For this reason, I think this rainbow quinoa salad is a perfect opportunity. Eating more vegan food is a great way to start being more responsible.

A lot of people tend to criticise this the vegan lifestyle and to some it simply doesn’t appeal. Another option is to buy into the latest trend, i.e. recipe box schemes but this may prove too expensive for those on a tight budget. The new meal plan companies do cater mainly for a subset of the middle class, as they do overprice their products. Hence, the real challenge, how do we scale up initiatives to get the entire population interested in living more sustainably and healthily?

Ingredients Salad

reducing waste

Speaking of getting all people involved in terms of reducing waste, have you ever heard of the nose-to-tail cooking method? Basically, it involves cooking the whole animal, not only the most tender or popular cuts of meat. Even the less-favoured cuts can produce a lot of flavour in meals. This rule applies especially to red meat, as it is the most resource intensive to produce. In terms of living more sustainably, the easiest first step would be to eliminate red meat from your diet completely. Some people would find this lifestyle decision very difficult to execute.

If you are certain that you won’t be able to eliminate red meat completely for whatever purpose, then why not make a few tweaks? By that I mean, why not consume red meat only on special occasions? Even this would make a small difference. All in all, the first step perhaps is to substitute white meat over red meat. Once this step is 100% complete, you can then consider whether to make the next transition and eliminate meat completely. With foods like the rainbow quinoa salad and with vegan cuisine on the rise, it’s never been easier to make the jump to a plant-based diet.

Salad Rainbow Quinoa

the industry

Once people start making this change of eliminating meat or seafood for sustainability purposes there are consequences. What happens to agricultural workers? It’s important to remember that some people’s livelihoods are at stake. Therefore, it is important that farming policy and, in particular, rural economic policy allows this sector to adjust with as little damage as possible. Even though there would be positive health and environmental benefits, we need to take care of the industry and its people too. In any case, what needs to happen first is a paradigm shift in the collective consciousness of humans, and it’s happening! We all must engage more in thinking about food, taking more responsibility for the effects of what we eat on our own health and the environment.

There is one last factor to ponder upon. Being more sustainable and eliminating waste is not solely dependent on eating vegan food. It’s possible that a crop, which needs more water will be more sustainable in a wet region. So, it won’t necessarily be sustainable all the time. Still, rising food prices will rise hit the poorest in both in rich and developing countries. Currently, our unsustainable food production practices will undermine our capacity to produce food in the future. It is time to act now. Eat healthier, be more sustainable and start by reducing your red meat consumption.

Salad Vegan Quinoa

colours of the rainbow

The reason why people refer to it as a rainbow salad is because of all the vegetables that go inside it. I used chickpeas, spinach leaves, carrots, spring onions red peppers coriander leaves and pumpkin seeds. To add more colour, some people use red cabbage and different types of bell peppers. You can also buy roasted bell peppers or even add sun-dried tomatoes for more flavour. Some avocado and/or blue cheese work well with this rainbow quinoa salad too. The best thing is, that this salad is very versatile. You can add any ingredients that you may have resting at the bottom of the fridge.

Next, make sure you put enough salt when you cook the quinoa. Otherwise, it tends to be quite bland. If the quinoa has enough flavour, then there is no need for a salad dressing. However, I’ve seen many recipes use tahini with a bit of oil to lend a nutty flavour to the salad. In order to distribute the flavours in this salad evenly, you’ll need a huge bowl for mixing purposes. Have you ever been into a proper salad bar for a quick lunch? They also use large bowls to mix everything!

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Rainbow Quinoa Salad


★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Description

Rainbow Quinoa Salad is a versatile recipe that can be substituted with almost any kind of vegetable and nut. Environment-friendly and reduces waste too.


Scale

Ingredients

  • 750ml (3 cups) cooked quinoa
  • 1 can (400ml) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 120g (4oz) spinach leaves, washed
  • 3 carrots, peeled and julienned
  • 10 spring onions, chopped
  • 2 roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
  • 60g (2oz) coriander leaves, washed and finely chopped
  • 60ml (4 tbsp) pumpkin seeds

Instructions

  1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir well until everything is distributed evenly. Serve with your favourite salad dressing.

Notes

  • You need 250ml (1 cup) of uncooked quinoa to produce 750ml (3 cups) cooked quinoa. Simply simmer in salted water for around 15 minutes or until cooked, then drain.
  • You can buy roasted red peppers in jars at the preserves section with sundried tomatoes.
  • Some avocado and/or blue cheese work well with this salad too!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 605
  • Sugar: 5.4 g
  • Sodium: 164 mg
  • Fat: 12.7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 101 g
  • Fiber: 13.9 g
  • Protein: 24.4 g

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 Rainbow Quinona Salad

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tracey Peach says

    20th September 2017 at 1:30 pm

    I minimise food waste by meal planning so I only buy what food I know I’m going to use

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Tracy Nixon says

    20th September 2017 at 1:37 pm

    I use up my left overs and write a weekly meal plan and stick to it – so I only buy what I need and will use.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Jo McPherson says

    20th September 2017 at 2:29 pm

    I always make a list of meals I am making each week, and create a shopping list from that so I don’t just randomly buy food

    Reply
  4. Margaret Clarkson says

    20th September 2017 at 4:16 pm

    Plan every meal carefully and shop according to meal requirements.

    Reply
  5. laura banks says

    20th September 2017 at 7:27 pm

    my hubby actually makes a little bit more so he can freeze it so when we are busy we already have homemade ready meals

    Reply
  6. Andrea Upton says

    20th September 2017 at 8:36 pm

    I plan what I am going to cook and then just buy what I need

    Reply
  7. Gingey Bites says

    21st September 2017 at 9:55 am

    This salad looks delicious and its always good to read more about how to reduce food waste! I find meal planning really helps me use everything up!

    Reply
  8. Fiona says

    21st September 2017 at 12:46 pm

    Planning for all meals, bit boring but works!

    Reply
  9. Ren Taylor says

    21st September 2017 at 1:27 pm

    We plan meals for the week, freeze any leftovers or have them for lunch next day……occasionally the dog gets lucky lol !

    Reply
  10. amy bondoc says

    21st September 2017 at 1:38 pm

    i do my main meall shop daily so eat what i fancy on the day so nothing gets wated, if ive leftover veg at the end of the week ip ll make a veg soup 🙂

    Reply
  11. rebecca h says

    21st September 2017 at 2:03 pm

    I use a meal plan and then use left overs for lunchboxes or frozen for something else! saves lots of money too

    Reply
  12. Amanda Baggott says

    21st September 2017 at 2:21 pm

    I plan my meals and only buy what I will use. It saves money as well as reducing food wastage!

    Reply
  13. Jen Schofield says

    21st September 2017 at 2:47 pm

    By making meals in bulk and then freezing them in portion sizes.

    Reply
  14. Caroline H says

    21st September 2017 at 2:51 pm

    We are not very good at eating leftovers – they never appeal. So I’ve got good at only cooking as much as we’ll eat. I err on the lean side (without leaving us starving!). There’s always fruit, cheese, toast, etc if anyone is still hungry.

    Reply
  15. stuart hargreaves says

    21st September 2017 at 4:04 pm

    BUY ENOUGH TO LAST THE WEEK DONT HAVE A FREEZER

    Reply
  16. Rebecca Brown says

    21st September 2017 at 6:24 pm

    I meal plan, only buy what I need when possible, freeze portions and split what I won’t use all of with friends (splitting the price too!)

    Reply
  17. Suzanne says

    21st September 2017 at 7:02 pm

    Use up any leftovers creatively before starting any new dish.

    Reply
  18. Ritchie says

    21st September 2017 at 8:54 pm

    I use leftover veg to make soups, stews and stock.

    Reply
  19. Solange says

    21st September 2017 at 9:32 pm

    If we have any leftover potatoes and/or veg, we don’t throw it out. Once cool, we cover and store it in the fridge until the next day, when we can put it all together with some seasoning and make tasty Bubble and Squeak, or something similar depending on the ingredients.

    Reply
  20. Kavita Favelle | Kavey Eats says

    22nd September 2017 at 9:18 am

    Leftovers are often the best bit! Well, in some cases anyway! We try to make sure we use them effectively, as we hate waste. I love the colourful quinoa salad, looks like a visually appetising and delicious dish.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  21. Helen Tovell says

    22nd September 2017 at 2:02 pm

    I minimize food waste by menu planning to use all the ingredients I have bought

    Reply
  22. Jade Hewlett says

    22nd September 2017 at 7:50 pm

    I plan meals in advance

    Reply
  23. Ashleigh Allan says

    22nd September 2017 at 10:13 pm

    By meal planning

    Reply
  24. cheryl hadfield says

    23rd September 2017 at 4:19 pm

    By batch cooking

    Reply
  25. leanne weir says

    23rd September 2017 at 6:12 pm

    We plan and we also make use of the freezer a lot

    Reply
  26. Jo Carroll says

    25th September 2017 at 7:58 am

    To be fair we don’t really have a great deal of food waste. Through experience I tend to get meal proportions pretty correct. What we don’t eat immediately we either freeze or store in the fridge…plus with a hungry dog at home very little makes it to the recycle bin 😉

    Reply
  27. Rhia P says

    27th September 2017 at 3:18 pm

    I meal plan each week, so we have very little leftover food to waste.
    {Fab piece btw, I’ve been embracing ‘flexitarianism’ due to concerns for the environment, but you’re right to highlight the other implications of going entirely plant-based} Thanks

    Reply
  28. Jason Tolliss says

    3rd October 2017 at 3:55 pm

    Cook in bulk and freeze

    Reply
  29. Richard Tyler says

    5th October 2017 at 12:56 pm

    We make meal plans so to use up last nights

    Reply
  30. Lizz says

    7th October 2017 at 12:28 pm

    My freezer! And cooking anything I can’t freeze raw.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      21st October 2017 at 10:51 pm

      Sounds good 🙂

      Reply
  31. Jessica Barber says

    8th October 2017 at 12:19 pm

    This looks delicious! I minimise waste by sharing meals with friends and planning out meals before doing the food shop!

    Reply
    • michelle says

      21st October 2017 at 10:53 pm

      Hi Jessica. Great idea on the sharing part ! 🙂

      Reply
  32. julie laing says

    12th October 2017 at 2:01 pm

    Freeze what i can and base meals around what needs used first

    Reply
    • michelle says

      21st October 2017 at 9:44 pm

      Same!

      Reply
  33. Carole Nott says

    15th October 2017 at 9:14 pm

    Im careful with sell by dates and using food strictly in rotation

    Reply
    • michelle says

      21st October 2017 at 9:36 pm

      clever 🙂 me too. I am also very careful with dates

      Reply
  34. Lucy Morgan says

    18th October 2017 at 11:26 pm

    I keep chickens which eat lots of our food waste 🙂

    Reply
    • michelle says

      21st October 2017 at 7:02 pm

      haha – CLEVER!!!

      Reply
  35. Sarah Prentice says

    19th October 2017 at 2:54 am

    freeze food! so much more can be frozen than one might think!

    Reply
    • michelle says

      21st October 2017 at 7:02 pm

      that’s definitely true!

      Reply
  36. Samantha says

    20th October 2017 at 11:27 am

    Only buying what I need, freezing if I get extra, especially bargains on the reduced counter

    Reply
    • michelle says

      21st October 2017 at 6:55 pm

      Great way to be sustainable 🙂

      Reply
  37. Samantha says

    20th October 2017 at 11:33 am

    Signed up to newsletter

    Reply
    • michelle says

      21st October 2017 at 6:55 pm

      YEY!

      Reply
  38. Sherrill todd says

    21st October 2017 at 1:26 am

    Eat leftovers for supper or packed lunch next day

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:26 pm

      clever!

      Reply
  39. Lee Whittaker says

    23rd October 2017 at 8:30 am

    By carefully planning our food shops and meals in advance

    Reply
    • michelle says

      23rd October 2017 at 4:21 pm

      Yup I do the same:)

      Reply
  40. Susan Hoggett (@susanhoggett) says

    24th October 2017 at 10:45 am

    I always plan ahead so I can make best use of the food I have.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 11:55 am

      clever!

      Reply
  41. francis lee says

    26th October 2017 at 1:58 pm

    by making dishes in advance and freezing them

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:26 pm

      sounds good! I do the same

      Reply
  42. tina Glover says

    27th October 2017 at 11:31 am

    I do a weekly meal plan and I also batch cook and freeze leftovers and items in the fridge that are about to go off.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 11:42 am

      I batch cook too sometimes 🙂

      Reply
  43. Simone Griffin says

    28th October 2017 at 8:01 pm

    I try to only cook what we need or freeze leftovers x

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:27 pm

      smart and sustainable 🙂

      Reply
  44. katie w says

    28th October 2017 at 9:26 pm

    either freeze if possible or have leftovers for lunch the next day

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:28 pm

      yep, I m the same

      Reply
  45. paula cheadle says

    29th October 2017 at 12:52 am

    I only buy want I want

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:29 pm

      🙂

      Reply
  46. sarah fielding says

    29th October 2017 at 1:28 am

    By not buying lots of food just because it is on sale!

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:29 pm

      very clever! not easy to do this 🙂

      Reply
  47. Lydia Graham says

    29th October 2017 at 10:52 am

    By buying loose vegetables so I can get what I need for the meal

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:30 pm

      thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  48. Emma Smith says

    29th October 2017 at 12:00 pm

    by using our compost bin

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:30 pm

      I have one too! 🙂

      Reply
  49. Jane says

    29th October 2017 at 9:08 pm

    I always take my extras into work for lunch and compost any veg peelings.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:31 pm

      that’s great!

      Reply
  50. Emma Davison says

    29th October 2017 at 9:35 pm

    Watch portion sizes and Compost as much as possible.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:31 pm

      I should try and watch portion sizes too!

      Reply
  51. Claire D says

    29th October 2017 at 10:20 pm

    I shop daily, just buying what we need. This means we waste very little food.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:32 pm

      sounds great!

      Reply
  52. Deborah Bird says

    30th October 2017 at 12:06 am

    I find planning meals helps and only shopping for the ingredients I need!

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:32 pm

      yep planning definitely helps!

      Reply
  53. Catherine l says

    30th October 2017 at 7:41 am

    Meal plan so we only buy what we are going to use!

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:33 pm

      clever!

      Reply
  54. Sarah Parker says

    30th October 2017 at 9:27 am

    I make an effort to cook things with ingredients that need to be used up 🙂

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:34 pm

      yep, I have this always towards the end of the week 🙂

      Reply
  55. Stephanie says

    30th October 2017 at 10:15 am

    I create leftovers into new dishes

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:34 pm

      what is your most common left over dish? 🙂 Mine’s a pasta bake

      Reply
  56. Ruth Wollerton says

    30th October 2017 at 10:50 am

    I try and food plan so I don’t have loads of wastage. But if I do get leftovers I either freeze them or add them to other meals.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:35 pm

      thanks for sharing Ruth!

      Reply
  57. Diana says

    30th October 2017 at 12:11 pm

    Planing meals 🙂

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:35 pm

      same!

      Reply
  58. claire Little says

    30th October 2017 at 3:59 pm

    we shop daily and have a dog.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:36 pm

      haha LOVE THIS ANSWER Claire! 😀

      Reply
  59. Tammy Neal says

    30th October 2017 at 4:33 pm

    We plan set meals and buy shopping that way xx

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:36 pm

      same!

      Reply
  60. Richard Eldred Hawes says

    30th October 2017 at 5:48 pm

    When I prepare a meal I already have a plan as to how to use the food that is left over

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:37 pm

      clever 🙂

      Reply
  61. Richard Eldred Hawes says

    30th October 2017 at 5:51 pm

    All ready subscribed, always enjoy the articles I receive

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:38 pm

      Hi Richard, it’s a pleasure to hear that you enjoy the articles! Get ready for some more delicious recipes coming up 🙂

      Reply
  62. Vicky R says

    30th October 2017 at 6:31 pm

    Reduce waste by planning meals and making use of the freezer!

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:38 pm

      clever!

      Reply
  63. Hayley Todd says

    30th October 2017 at 6:42 pm

    I always meal plan before I go shopping, and make a list and try my hardest to stick to it and only purchase what is on there. I also cook sensible portion sizes, whereas before I did tend to over portion, especially for my girls, so lots of food would go in the compost heap!

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:38 pm

      wow, sounds like you are really sustainable 🙂

      Reply
  64. Tracey Suzie Anderson says

    30th October 2017 at 7:09 pm

    I minimise food wastage in a number of ways for exapmple:-
    I look out for the reduced isle in Supermarkets and buy what i can that is freezable
    I batch cook for the week so if i’m cooking a curry/ chilli/ cottage pie i will make double the amount and freeze for the following weeks meals
    Use up vegetables by making soups and again the freezer is yur best friend here
    Growing your own herbs and spices where possible. A great way to use up is to finely chop your basil/ parlsey etc and put into ice cube trays with a spot of water and you guessed it freeze! Ready fresh herbs and spices to add to your meals.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:39 pm

      thanks for the tips Tracey 🙂 I also like to use up food by turning them into soups or making pasta bakes 🙂

      Reply
  65. Natalie Crossan says

    30th October 2017 at 10:28 pm

    We make a lot of soups xxx

    Reply
    • michelle says

      31st October 2017 at 12:48 pm

      soups are great for leftovers! agreed 🙂

      Reply

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