Mediterranean Quinoa & Lentil Salad

Back-to-school is in the air. As a result, parents are busy packing lunches to leave kids (and themselves) feeling full for longer. I love this Mediterranean Quinoa & Lentil Salad because it has a combination of flavours and textures. This recipe provides flexibility to add or omit ingredients according to your preferences. In addition, the dressing is super simple and fresh! I certainly recommend making a double or triple batch of the vinaigrette and putting it in a mason jar in the fridge to add to dinner salads.

To reduce morning mayhem during back-to-school time, pack lunches the night before. Moreover, check out the tips in: 3 Steps to Master Packed Lunches and/or Tackling Lunchtime Challenges. Quinoa can also be made in advance and set aside. Veggies can also be “veggie-prepped” which means they are cut in advance and put into containers. This certainly allows for a faster meal-assembly. On another note, getting kids involved in the kitchen is a way to develop food skills which help them to become adults who can prepare (and prioritize) making their own lunches.

Mediterranean Quinoa & Lentil Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
• ½ cup feta cheese
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup bell peppers, diced
• 1 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 cup lentils, canned, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/3 cup red cabbage, chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp raisins (optional)
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds, unsalted (optional)

Vinaigrette Dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp lime/lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions for Mediterranean Quinoa & Lentil Salad:

1. Firstly, cook quinoa according to package instructions. Set aside to cool completely in a bowl. Meanwhile, chop the veggies.
2. Secondly, add the feta, tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts, onion, lentils and fresh parsley.
3. Stir to combine ingredients.
4. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
5. Finally, garnish with extra parsley and lemon/lime wedge for serving.

Back-to-School Lunch Reads:

• Pack a Lunch Your Picky Eater will Love
• 3 Steps to Master Packed Lunches
• 15 Favourite Packed Lunches (Ready in 15 minutes)
• 10 Plant-Based Back-to-School Lunches

Mediterranean Quinoa & Lentil Salad

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

I love this Mediterranean Quinoa & Lentil Salad! It's flexible and has a combination of flavours and textures to meet your taste!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
• ½ cup feta cheese
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup bell peppers, diced
• 1 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 cup lentils, canned, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/3 cup red cabbage, chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp raisins (optional)
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds, unsalted (optional)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp lime/lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp oregano
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions. Set aside to cool completely in a bowl.
2. Add the feta, tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts, onion, lentils and fresh parsley.
3. Stir to combine ingredients.
4. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly.
5. Garnish with extra parsley and lemon/lime wedge for serving.