Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Salad

Make a batch of this Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Salad to eat during the week for a quick and healthy lunch. This grain salad made with quinoa, apples, tart cherries, spinach and feta makes you feel super healthy with every bite. Serve on a bed of lettuce for an even bigger nutrition boost. 

I’ve been really into grain salads as of late, mostly I think it’s a convenience thing. Most days, I don’t have time to cook a lunch meal so I need something that’s already prepped and ready to go so that’s where this Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Salad comes in. It’s got all the good stuff that I need in one bowl, and it’s already fixed and ready for me to eat when hunger strikes.

If I don’t have a lunch salad prepped up I’ll do one of three things, skip lunch all together (I know very un-dietitian of me but it happens sometimes), make a smoothie, or tuna salad. Smoothies and tuna salad are the usual suspects for a week day lunch because they are fast… I keep all the ingredients on hand and mix them up in less than 5 minutes flat likely while holding the babe, but grain salads have been gaining speed in my routine.

My top grains for these type of salads are quinoa, wild rice, and barley. Just love the texture and chew they give to the salad. When making a grain salad I always have to have a couple ingredients to balance it all out. Cooked whole grain (of course), dried fruit (sweetness), nuts (crunchy), spinach/kale (for good for you ingredients), apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (for zest/tart and it also provides moisture), feta cheese (saltiness) and occasionally I’ll also toss in a bean like chickpeas too for more texture and protein. 

Make a batch of this Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Salad to eat during the week for a quick and healthy lunch. This grain salad made with quinoa, apples, tart cherries, spinach and feta makes you feel super healthy with every bite. Serve on a bed of lettuce for an even bigger nutrition boost.

To make your life even easier–Trader Joe’s has frozen pre- cooked quinoa that you can just heat up in the microwave or defrost. Oh and if buying the grain, always buy pre-rinsed quinoa so that saves you a step and a mess 🙂 It will say pre-rinsed or pre-washed on the package.

Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Salad

---

• Author: Kristina LaRue
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 10 mins
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Make a batch of this Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Salad to eat during the week for a quick and healthy lunch. This grain salad made with quinoa, apples, tart cherries, spinach and feta makes you feel super healthy with every bite. Serve on a bed of lettuce for an even bigger nutrition boost.

---

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
• 1/2 medium gala apple, diced
• 1/4 cup dried tart cherries
• 1 cup spinach, chopped
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste

---

Instructions

1. In large bowl, gently toss together all ingredients.
2. Store in airtight container and refrigerate until ready to eat.
3. Salad best eaten at room temperature.

---

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
• Calories: 202
• Sugar: 9g
• Sodium: 168mg
• Fat: 11g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Carbohydrates: 24g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 5g
• Cholesterol: 5mg

Kristina LaRue, RDN

Hi I’m Kristina LaRue, RD (registered dietitian nutritionist), Peloton addict and mama to two active and hungry boys. On Love & Zest, you’ll find healthy-ish recipes that fuel the whole family. I’m all about veggie-filled breakfast, meal prep recipes, healthier sweets, and easy weeknight dinners made in the Instant Pot or sheet pan.

Did you make one of my recipes?? Leave a review in the comments and tag @loveandzest #loveandzest on Instagram!

If you’re a modern mama– I’d love for you to join my Facebook group A Modern Motherhood Collective!

www.loveandzest.com

Sharing is caring!