Butternut Squash & Quinoa Salad + Pumpkin Seeds
Theres no doubt that I've been on a pumpkin kick lately and this salad is just another item to add to the list. But, this salad gets even better as it is packed with incredible nutrients and super foods such as butternut squash, quinoa & pumpkin seeds, and it is gluten free & guilt free! Click to see the recipe details here or below
There are so many ways in which you can incorporate pumpkin seeds into dishes as well as butternut squash and quinoa. They are such versatile foods that can be used within a side dish or for this instance the main course. I have been eating this light and filling salad all week & its the perfect thing to tide over my hunger and keep me feeling full for hours. Lastly, since most of the items within this dish are savory, the hints of sweetness from the dried cranberries are the perfect thing to liven this salad up.
I also am obsessed with how colorful this dish is and it will make the perfect item to bring to your upcoming Fall get togethers or a Thanksgiving side dish as well. This dish takes no longer than 30 minutes total and that is mainly due to the required time for the quinoa to cook.
I can't wait for all of you to enjoy & when you do, because I know you won't be able to resist, share and spread some love with me on Instagram @oliviasobjectsofobsession or on my Facebook page, here.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 red onion (or whatever your preference)
- 3 Tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
- Salt and pepper
Vinegarette Dressing: - 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp minced garlic
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- In a large bowl, place the cubed butternut squash. Season with olive oil and salt and pepper and place into the oven until soft. (20-25 minutes).
- While squash is roasting, place the quinoa on the stovetop for 15 minutes to cook, until water has absorbed. Bring to a boil and then reduce down to a simmer.
- Once squash and quinoa have finished cooking, let the quinoa and butternut squash cool completely and combine squash, quinoa, dried cranberries, red onion, pumpkin seeds and vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
- Chill in fridge.
- Enjoy!
Chicken Quinoa Arugula Salad + Feta
Happy Monday!!
I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! I can’t believe how fast it went by. If you were anything like me, I tried to spend most of my day outside on Saturday, because the rest of the weekend was just dreary! Don’t get me wrong, I love a good Minnesota Spring rain and thunderstorm, but I am ready for more sun!!
So over the weekend, I decided I wanted to make something really healthy for the upcoming week ahead that stayed well for a couple days and was perfect for lunches! Meal prepping is SO important for me, otherwise I tend to resort to eating something that is quick & probably not the healthiest! So from now on, get ready for ‘Motivation Mondays!!’ I will be making healthy, quick & easy meals for your Monday mornings to bring to work or eat throughout the week!
For the very first week of Motivation Monday meals, I decided to create my own spin on a quinoa salad that I’m pretty much OBSESSED with! Here’s what you need to do:
Salad: First take a cup of quinoa + two cups of water and bring it to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes until the water is gone.
While the quinoa is boiling, take 2-3 chicken breasts, seasoned with salt & pepper, and broil/grill/bake, them in the for at least 15-20 minutes. I really like to get my chicken at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, because they have a great variety of free range, non-GMO chicken breasts!
In the meantime, while both the chicken and the quinoa are cooking, slice one red bell pepper, 3-4 Persian cucumbers (the little ones), 1 jalapeño, 1-2 cups of Arugula, some feta cheese and of course, some avocado to mix together. If you are looking for some amazing feta cheese, go to Trader Joe’s and get the Feta cheese that is still soaking in the brine! I am so obsessed with it! After the quinoa and chicken have finished cooking, cut the chicken breasts into pieces and mix together all of the ingredients with the quinoa.
Dressing: The dressing is SO simple, all you need to do is get some EVOO & a lemon. Drizzle about a ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil over the quinoa salad and squeeze the half of a lemon over as well. I also like to zest some of the lemon peel to give the salad even more of a fresh citrusy flavor. And that’s it for the dressing, so easy!!
If you make this recipe, please tag me on Instagram and share with me OR feel free to leave a comment or suggestion of any alternative ways to make this salad with other ingredients! If you have suggestions or ideas for other Motivation Monday recipes you’d like to see me make, let me know!! I hope you enjoy this amazing Chicken Quinoa Salad!
Serves 5
Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2-3 chicken breasts
¾ cup feta
3-4 Persian cucumbers
1 red bell pepper
1-2 cups Arugula
1 avocado
Handful of cilantro (optional)