This is the kind of salad you can tweak around all you want, and the results are equally fantastic. Unless you add, like, Skittles or something weird like that. Please don’t add Skittles.
But really, in the mood for cheese? Sprinkle some feta on top. Wanting a dose of healthy fats? A bit of walnuts, almonds or cashews will do the trick. In the mood for a dash of hotness? Dice a jalapeno and roast it, too. Have the odd leftover veggie starting to look sad in the fridge? Toss it in, almost any vegetable works great here.
You know how roasting vegetables can take a bit of time. What I like to do is roast double the amount and save the leftovers for next day; you can even do more if you don’t mind eating the same food for a few days in a row.
Pair it up with a bed of leafy greens and you’re left with a nutritious powerhouse– an excellent energy source for middle of the day meal, or a protein packed light dinner.
Roasted Veggies and Quinoa Salad
3/4 C of quinoa, cooked
Yellow and red pepper
Zucchini
Red onion
Cherry tomatoes
Mushrooms
Two handfuls of leafy greens (I went with baby spinach)
Coconut oil
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven at 350 F. Prep your veggies by chopping to the shape and size you prefer and drizzling lightly with the melted coconut oil. Place them on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, keeping an eye on them and moving them around once in between.
Once roasted bring them out and flavor them with the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
Place a bed of leafy greens on your plate, then add the cooked quinoa (and you can drizzle some balsamic vinegar on the quinoa for added flavor). Chuck the veggies on top of it all, and scarf down with joy!
I have been craving veggies (especially roasted veggies) for days now. Just can’t seem to get enough. My “problem” is that I end up eating the veg right off the tray out of the oven before they even make it onto salads, burritos, etc. Oh, and these photos are gorgeous!
Haha, that’s a great problem to have!
Looks yummy. Can you explain why you chose coconut oil? I’d like to learn more about it. (versus olive oil, for example)
Sure! I prefer coconut oil because it is very heat-stable, which means it won’t smoke like extra virgin olive oil does under the broiler.
Not only that, but coconut oil is good for tons of stuff… I use it on my face as a moisturizer. Love it!