Quinoa Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing
Is anyone else a fan of meal prep like me? I mean the term “meal prep” can be a turn off for some. But for me, meal prep is the best way for me to prepare healthy food to take with me for breakfasts or lunches during the work week. I think – what will keep me full? What will not give me a food coma so I can have a strong second half of the day? What is healthy, nutritious, and affordable? Well, crunchy Thai salad to the rescue!
This is the kind of salad that keeps in the fridge ALL WEEK. Lettuce lasting 5 days after it’s been chopped and exposed to oxygen might not last – but these hardy veggies can! Especially when packed into mason jars how I like – sauce on bottom, grains next to absorb all the sauce, veggies on top to keep away from sauce. That way, when you dump it out into your bowl to eat, everything gets mixed up and stays fresh and crunchy!
I will say, in quart mason jars, this was SUPER filling. Like, maybe almost too much so. For me personally, I might have been more satisfied as a lunch portion if I had packed in pint jars, but do whatever works best for you!
Fresh veggies, the power packed quinoa, peanut dressing, all together as a crunchy salad – what a perfect lunch! Would be great as a summer dinner meal as well!
Want more meal prep ideas? Check out this for another idea. And as always, if you make this recipe, please tag @nommingwithnicola or #nommingwithnicola so I can see your recreations and “like” your photos! I love seeing what you make!
Quinoa Crunch Salad with Peanut Dressing
Ingredients
Quinoa Salad:
- 2-3 cups shelled edamame
- 2 cups quinoa
- 1 english cucumber diced
- 2 bell peppers diced
- 2 ripe mangoes diced
- 3 carrots shredded
- 1/2 head purple cabbaged shredded
- 1/2 cup cashews or peanuts
Peanut Dressing:
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- 2 tbsp chili paste (I used sambal oelek)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 inch knob fresh ginger peeled
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions.
- Prepare edamame as per package directions.
- Chop all veggies.
- Dressing: put all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
- Serve: for meal prep style – assemble 5 quart sized mason jars and split the dressing evenly between all 5. Follow by layering the quinoa split evenly between the 5 jars. Follow with veggies until packed full. Top with a small handful of nuts. Seal jars, keep in fridge, should be good for up to 5 days if tightly packed in jars. For dinner as a meal: toss it all together!