Super Speedy Thai Quinoa Salad

/ Rachel Eagleton, clinical nutritionist/
quick thai quinoa salad.jpg

What to do do when you’re tired, hungry but know you should have a salad with dinner? Enter my super speedy thai quinoa salad! This plant powered salad packs in a load of different veggies plus plant protein and is ready in 5 minutes, plus holds up in the fridge for leftover the next day. Winner!

This salad is based on a recipe in “Run fast, cook fast, eat slow” but I’ve made it even quicker by substituting a pre-shredded kale slaw mix and pre-cooked brown rice & quinoa. I know some people object to the pre-packaging in pre-bagged salad and pre-cooked grains however from a food waste point of view I find I waste far less food this way and hit a much higher diversity of plant foods - so important for your gut microbiome. I know I am not going to shred 4 carrots and a cabbage on a busy night so I am happy to use pre-packaged. You could serve it as a side to a takeaway rotisserie chicken or have it as I did here with some pre-marinated tofu quickly pan fried.

GF, VG

Ingredients

quick thai quinoa salad ingredients.jpg

  • bag of pre-shredded kaleslaw

  • packet of sunrice pre-cooked brown rice and quinoa

  • bunch of mint or coriander

  • 1 red chilli, seeds removed, sliced

  • some cashews on top for crunch

  • 2 green onions, sliced


    DRESSING

  • 2 tab extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 tab fresh lime juice (1-2 limes)

  • 1 tab salt reduced soy sauce or tamari

  • 2 tsp honey or maple syrup

  • 2 tsp fish sauce

METHOD

  1. Put the olive oil, lime juice, soy sauce or tamari, honey, and fish sauce in a glass jar or bowl and stir to combine.

  2. Combine the kale slaw with the quinoa and rice mix. Add the green onion, mint/coriander and chilli to the bowl and toss to combine. Add the dressing and toss again. Taste and, if needed, add more fish sauce or soy sauce.

  3. Top with the cashews.

Want to read more about the gut microbiome and why you should start targeting 30 different plant foods each week? Read more here.

Need more quick salad ideas? Go here

Have you been thinking for a while that you would love to find out more about your gut health or why your weight won’t shift no matter what you do? Or maybe you just want to feel less bloated, have more energy and understand what food you are meant to be eating?

I’m offering a free 15 minute call to work out a nutrition action plan to get you feeling your best. There are no commitments just a friendly chat so we can work out if I’m the right person to help you reach your health goals.

Rachel is a university qualified Clinical Nutritionist based in Balmain.  She is also the busy working mum of two teenagers, so is practical and realistic with her advice . Rachel offers private consultations to improve your family's health and well-being. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram for more healthy tips and tricks.