Quinoa, Fennel And Tomato Salad: For Low Calorie Dinner

Quinoa is a cereal that is prepared in less than half an hour; therefore, the various dishes that include it as a base are very simple but with a really tasty flavor.

Quinoa salad is a very versatile dish that is often used today, not only thanks to its excellent nutritional content but also to its adaptability as a garnish for lunch or dinner. By not promoting weight gain in any significant way, people who want to maintain their body composition feel confident about having a late night meal with quinoa.

Low calorie dinners are generally thought to be poor and unsatisfying. However, this is an urban myth based on ignorance. There are many nutritious and light meals that can be used to make a good dinner, such as the quinoa salad.

Quinoa, fennel and tomato salad

One of the benefits of quinoa is its fiber content, in addition to the proteins that it presents in its composition. Regular fiber intake is essential to avoid intestinal problems, according to research published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

It also has complex carbohydrates, which makes it an ideal food for before a sports competition.

Ingredients (for 3 people)

• Water.
• Olive oil.
• 1 cup of tricolor quinoa (200 g).
• 1 small bulb of fennel.
• 20 cherry tomatoes (approximately 100 g).
• 1 small arugula bunch.
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (15 ml).
• Seasonings: salt, fresh mint.
• Optional: ½ red onion (15 g), vegetable or chicken broth.

Preparation

1. First, we must rinse the quinoa with plenty of water until the water that runs off is light in color.
2. We put 4 cups of water to boil in a pot, when it starts to boil, we add the quinoa. In case we have decided to prepare it with the vegetable broth, the procedure will be the same.
3. We let the quinoa cook for about 15 or 20 minutes, approximately (until the liquid is completely absorbed) and we turn off the heat.
4. We remove the quinoa so that it does not compact into a block and let it rest at room temperature.
5. We wash the cherry tomatoes, cut them in half. Meanwhile, wash and drain the arugula well. We booked.
6. We peel the fennel bulb and proceed to cut it into fine julienne strips.
7. We incorporate all the ingredients in a bowl and apart, we proceed to prepare the vinaigrette.
8. To prepare the vinaigrette, we mix a little olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and peppermint.

Baked tomatoes with quinoa salad

Another way to enjoy quinoa salad is to include it in a roasted vegetable. Whether it is a pepper, an aubergine or a tomato, the result will always be exquisite. In addition, the presentation of the dish is different, thereby reducing the feeling that we are eating a simple salad.

What is sought with the incorporation of the quinoa salad in a vegetable is to satisfy the diner during dinner, without the need to resort to flours, since these are rich sources of carbohydrates. If we use a vegetable such as aubergine, which is quite meaty, we can fill more pieces and increase the number of diners. On the other hand, if we use tomatoes, we will have to include a little more filling in these, since they tend to have less meat than an aubergine.

Remember that tomatoes contain a substance known as lycopene that has been shown to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Ingredients (for 3 people)

• Olive oil.
• 1 medium onion.
• 4 large tomatoes.
• Seasonings: salt, black pepper.
• 2 ½ or 3 glasses of soy drink (500 or 600 ml).
• 1 ¼ cup of white quinoa (250 g).
• Optional: walnuts, almonds and dried fruits, eggplant cubes, feta cheese.

Preparation

1. We preheat the oven to 180 ºC.
2. To intensify the flavor of the quinoa, we take it to toast, raw, in a pan over medium heat, for about 3 or 4 minutes. It should be noted that it is not necessary to grease said pan.
3. Once ready, we let the quinoa cool down to room temperature and we proceed to assemble the pot to boil the soy drink. When the drink reaches its boiling point, we add the toasted quinoa.
4. We let the quinoa cook for about 15 to 20 minutes and then we let it rest at room temperature.
5. Peel and cut the onion into small pieces.
6. We mix the quinoa with the onion, the nuts and the seeds and then we season to taste.
7. In addition, we chop the tomatoes a little higher than half and extract a little of the pulp to be able to introduce the filling. Once ready, cover with the top of the tomato.
8. We take the tomatoes to the oven for 20 or 30 minutes, approximately.

Prepare quinoa salad to improve the quality of the diet

Quinoa salad can be prepared in different ways, everything will depend on our taste and the time we want to spend in the kitchen. However, what will always prevail is its excellent nutritional contribution and its status as a low-calorie dish. Without a doubt, it is worth taking advantage of it.

Remember that it is necessary to include this preparation in the context of a balanced and varied diet, in order to maintain an adequate body weight and a good supply of nutrients.

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