Category Archives: : Let’s Lighten Up!

Cucumber Quinoa Salad Recipe

Cucumber & Quinoa Salad with Feta And Fresh Herbs


This salad is an easy filling salad that is so enjoyable to the senses to make because all the fresh herbs are so aromatic and the lemon zest is refreshing. I like to make this meal when I have time to enjoy a little music playing and go slow. Its very easy, but its relaxing to pinch off the fresh herbs and enjoy all the pleasures of being in the kitchen.

Let yourself be creative! Use whatever you have on hand in the garden or add mint leaves to the dressing… what can you do to make it your own special creation. Let us know your special twists.

Hope you enjoy… savor it slow or share with a friend.
Make a little extra and save it back for lunch another day.

xo
Indi

Recipe Card

Recipe by Leslie Indigo Alison
Servings

2

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking timeminutes
Calories

250

kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa (cooked by brand directions)

  • 1 cucumber

  • 1 lemon

  • Seasonal Fresh Greens and Herbs : mint, cilantro, parsley, sprouts

  • 1/2 cup vegan or dairy feta or similar cheese

  • Dressing
  • Tablespoon white wine vinegar

  • 1/4 cup Olive oil

  • Tablespoon of honey

  • Fresh lemon juice

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  • Salad Preparation
  • Rinse and prepare quinoa according to brand directions
    You will need one cup cooked quinoa
    Note : I often make extra for meal prep for the week and set aside in mason jars.
  • Chop fresh herbs into small pieces for mixing into salad
  • Zest a bit of the lemon and set aside. Slice the lemon in half and set aside half for the dressing. Cut other half into several slices for garnishing salad.
  • Chop cucumber and feta into small chunks
  • Simple Dressing
  • In a small mason jar mix olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and honey. Cover and shake until well incorporated.
  • In a large bowl, combine quinoa, most of the dressing, cucumbers, feta and fresh herbs and mix until everything is lightly covered in the dressing.
  • Plate the Salad
  • Spoon the quinoa salad onto plates and add more fresh herbs and greens around the salad. Add slice of lemon and lemon zest on top of salad. Drizzle with a spoonful of dressing and top with a little bit of course salt flakes.
    Serve up with love. Cucumber and Quinoa Salad

Recipe Video

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Picnic : Chopped Salad – Brussels Sprout & Green Apple Salad w/ Sweet & Sesame Dressing

6 medium jars/1 cup each

Chopped ingredients
1/2 lb brussels sprouts, shaved 
4 stalks of celery, thinly sliced 
1 apple, cored & thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, sliced into little slivers
salt + pepper 
2 cups of grapes, halved
1/4 cup of sesame seeds
1/4 dried cranberries, diced 

Orange Tahini Dressing 
1/3 cup raw tahini 
1 orange, juiced  
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 clove of garlic, minced 
1/2 tsp cumin (optional) 
1 tsp grainy mustard braw honey/maple syrup/agave nectar to taste
2-3  tbsp grapeseed oil 
salt + pepper

Sautéed Veggies : Asparagus and Mushrooms

Sauteed Veg

Sautéed veggies are a staple in my kitchen during the winter. I like to prep up some for the week and flash fry them in the pan when I’m just getting home and too hungry to enjoy preparing food. 5 minutes and I have a hot plate of food. This is chopped asparagus, diced red onions, garlic, and mushrooms. I always add some salt and pepper, and if I prepped rice, it’s perfect on top of rice. Life is sometimes busy and my body still prefers nutrient dense food on a busy day.

#fastfood #divinelifekitchen #wintermeals #eatyourveggies #mealprep #veganish #plantcentric

Sautéed Veggies : Asparagus and Mushrooms

Recipe by Leslie Indigo AlisonDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Calories

80

kcal

Ingredients

  • Asparagus Bunch

  • 2 cups Mushrooms

  • 1/3 cup Diced red onion

  • 1/2 lemon squeezed

Directions

  • VEGETABLE PREP
  • Wash and chop asparagus (snap off the bottom rough stalk)
  • Rinse and chop mushrooms
  • Dice red onion
  • Add 1/4 cup water in saute pan and add red onion : stir over high heat until caramelized
  • COOKING
  • Add another 1/4 cup water in pan and add vegetables, cover and steam for 5-10 minutes on med heat, adding a squeeze of fresh lemon to taste
  • Check veggies for preferred tenderness and remove from heat and let cool
  • Transfer to Mason Jars for storage until ready to eat