Greek Quinoa Salad + Tips for Losing Weight

Treat yourself to this delicious, healthy Greek Quinoa Salad!

Today is the first Monday of June, and that means it’s time for another edition of my monthly series, Motivation Monday.

For me, healthy living is all about motivation. It’s about finding the motivation to skip a second helping, go for a walk, or cook instead of ordering takeout . Each Motivation Monday features easy tips and a healthy recipe.

Last month, my goal was to spend as much time outside as possible. I lucked out with great weather and spent lots of time walking, having picnics, and just soaking it all in! Hopefully, this month isn’t too hot and humid, because I plan to keep it up.

For June, my goal is simple: to lose weight. I’m sharing a recipe for a healthy and delicious Greek Quinoa Salad that’s going to help me do it … and I know that you’re going to love!

A few pounds have slowly crept up on me these past few years, and this month I’m going to focus on starting to lose that extra weight. My plan is to:

• Watch portion sizes.
• Cut out unhealthy snacks.
• Exercise regularly.
• Track my exercise and everything I eat.

I’ve done this before. Oops … I will have to work on the maintenance part!

But the thing that made the biggest difference for me was tracking all my food and exercise.

I really like SparkPeople, which is a  website that teaches you how to eat healthier and exercise regularly. Just enter how many pounds you’d like to lose, and SparkPeople gives you a calorie range. Then you track everything you eat, , and as you lose weight, the calorie range gets updated. Best of all, it’s FREE!

No, I’m not being paid by SparkPeople  … I just love it. I’ve also heard great things about My Fitness Pal and other programs. No matter what program you use though, the most important thing is to track your food intake and exercise consistently. It will help you can make healthier decisions.

How to Make Greek Quinoa Salad

The most crucial part of losing weight – even more so than exercise – is eating well and watching portion sizes.

Salads are a great option, but there’s nothing worse than eating one and then being hungry again an hour later. Am I right?

That’s why I love this Greek Quinoa Salad. It has all the flavor of a traditional Greek salad, but the quinoa, which is full of protein and healthy carbs, keeps you full a lot longer.

Plus, this Greek Quinoa Salad simply tastes great! It’s also packed with delicious ingredients like fresh veggies, feta, olives, and zesty Greek salad dressing.

I know you’re going to love this Greek Quinoa Salad just as much as I do!

Print

Greek Quinoa Salad

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

This delicious Greek Quinoa Salad is packed with healthy ingredients and tons of flavor!

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Greek

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 435 kcal

Author: Ginnie

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups vegetable broth

For Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

For Salad:

• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, and sliced
• 1/2 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 3 cups spinach, lightly packed

Instructions

Prepare Quinoa:

1. Combine quinoa and vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.

2. Cover pan and reduce heat to low. Cook until broth is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl and set aside to cool.

Prepare Vinaigrette:

1. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl.

2. Whisk until well combined. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Set aside.

Assemble Salad:

1. Add tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, and feta to cooled quinoa.
2. Drizzle with vinaigrette and mix everything together.
3. Add spinach and toss gently.

4. Season to taste with additional salt, if necessary, then serve. Enjoy!

Notes

I used red quinoa for this salad, but you can use any variety. Use your favorite kind of olives. I prefer Kalamata or Greek olives. This salad can be made ahead; however, add spinach just before serving.

This Greek Quinoa Salad recipe is perfect for summer, since there’s not a lot of cooking involved. Add you can add chickpeas for a little extra protein, if you want.

Give it a try, and let me know what you think!

Loved this Motivation Monday post?

If you enjoyed these easy tips for eating and living healthier, make sure to check out all of my Motivation Monday posts!

• Spicy Chili Pepper Edamame + Healthy Snack Ideas
• Berry Green Smoothie + Tips for Creating an Exercise Routine
• Easy Asian Dumpling Soup + Tips for Getting Better Sleep
• Mango Parfait + Revisiting Goals
• Picnic Recipes + Enjoying the Outdoors
• Chinese Chopped Salad + Tips for Getting Back on Track

Have you ever tried to lose weight? What worked for you?

P.S. Check out my other salad recipes for more healthy, but filling ideas.