BLT Avocado Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
Are you ready to simplify your dinner routine? This quick and easy BLT and Avocado Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette is a crowd pleaser and family favorite!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 664kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa rinse before serving
- 3 cups baby spinach finely chopped
- 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes sliced in half
- 10 ounces bacon cooked
- 1 large avocado chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Combine the quinoa and 3 cups of water in a medium pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for ~15 to 20 minutes, until all the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
- Cook the bacon while the quinoa is cooking. Layer the bacon between parchment paper, in a microwave safe glass dish. Cook on high until crisp (approximately 8 minutes) Cool and chop into small pieces.
- Make the dressing. Coming the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or mason jar. Stir or shake (with a lid) until the ingredients are well combined.
- Prep the remaning ingredients. Lightly cohp the spinach and cut the tomatoes in half. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and skin, and chop the avocado.
- Assemble the salad. Place the cooked quinoa is a large mixing bowl or serving dish. Add the bacon, spinach, tomato, and avocadol Top with the dressing and stir well to combine.
- Serve warm immediately, or may be made ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator, then served cold. Tip! If making the salad ahead of time, add the avocado reight before serving.
Notes
Low FODMAP Option. Decrease the amount of cherry tomatoes to tolerance OR use regular tomatoes instead, which are lower in FODMAPs.
Time Saving Option. Swap the dry quinoa with frozen, pre-cooked quinoa. Heat it in the microwave before adding it to the salad.
Substitutions and Add-Ins:
- For a lower-saturated-fat version, use turkey bacon or plant-based tempeh bacon. Or, add crispy chickpeas or lentils in place of the bacon.
- Swap the quinoa with fonio, sorghum, brown rice, or buckwheat.
- Add romaine lettuce, kale or arugula in place of baby spinach.
- Add-ins: Feta or goat cheese, pine nuts, corn, fresh herbs (basil, oregano, thyme.)
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 664kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 649mg | Potassium: 933mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2580IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 4mg