Italian Quinoa Recipe with Basil and Mozzarella
Melissa is a registered dietitian living and working in NY for over a decade where she focuses mainly on weight management and helps patients prepare for weight loss surgery. In addition she is a coach on RISE which is a weight loss application where she helps clients meet goals via pictures of foods taken and providing tips. In her free time Melissa enjoys running, hiking creating healthy plates for Instagram. You can follow Melissa on instagram @confessionofadietitian & www.melissarifkinnutrition.com.
What’s in the Bentgo Lunchbox:
White quinoa
Crispy green freeze dried apples
Power protein balls
Gomacro bar
Wilde turkey jerky
Garden cucumbers
Spotlight on: White Quinoa
Serves: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked white quinoa, cooled
- 1 cup halved cucumbers
- 3 ounces cubed mozzarella
- ½ cup basil leaves, torn into pieces
for the dressing:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, cucumbers and basil. Toss to combine.
- Mix together the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over quinoa salad and stir together until evenly coated.
- Serve or chill in fridge for 30 - 60 minutes.
This lunch combination is a personal favorite of mine. It strikes a great balance between protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats. It’s packed with fiber that will keep kids satiated throughout their afternoon of class.
On the practical side, this lunch is ideal because it doesn’t need to be heated, and really doesn’t even need to be refrigerated if you pack it the same day it’s eaten. This White Quinoa may look complicated, but the recipe is actually very simple. It would be easy to double or triple the ingredients to give your children (and yourself) an easy lunch option.
For more healthy recipes and lunch ideas like this one, follow me on Instagram @confessionofadietitian and visit my website - www.melissarifkinnutrition.com.
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