Quinoa is a very versatile food.  Although it has the same amount of carbohydrates as white rice, these are complex carbs, packed with nutrients, antioxidants and fiber.  I sometimes use quinoa as a rice alternative, and in this lemony, high-fiber quinoa salad, the quinoa is cold and absorbs the delicious lemony dressing from the vegetables, making it a hearty, tasty, crunchy and healthy salad that can be meal prepped and eaten for days!  For this lemony, high-fiber quinoa salad recipe, there is a much higher proportion of vegetables to quinoa and with the addition of edamame, this salad is well balanced from a nutritional standpoint. 

Tips for making this lemony hi-fiber quinoa salad

Judith, one of my now good friends that my daughter introduced me to in Nantucket, is a great cook and foodie.  She let me in on a secret to her cooking style which is very inciteful.  This recipe is her inspiration!  Judith "pickles" her vegetables to enhance the flavor of the salad.  This makes a big difference in this dish!

Vegetables

Use vegetables that are not too juicy or will wilt.  Lettuce is not recommended.  If you want to add ingredients like tomatoes or avocado add these items just before serving.  Vegetables such as peppers, cucumbers, carrots, celery, edamame should be diced into 1/2 inch pieces and marinated with the dressing for at least 1/2 hour for the dressing to absorb into the vegetables. Roasted corn or microwaved frozen corn can also be added for color and sweetness.

Quinoa

According to Healthline.com, here are the nutritional facts about quinoa.

The nutrition facts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of cooked quinoa are 

• Calories: 120
• Water: 72%
• Protein: 4.4 grams
• Carbs: 21.3 grams
• Sugar: 0.9 grams
• Fiber: 2.8 grams
• Fat: 1.9 grams

It has a high protein and fiber content with more vitamins and minerals than other "grains".  It is also a complex carb.

Types of quinoa.

Quinoa comes in a variety of colors: white, red or black.  All the colors have the same nutritional value.  The combination of colors makes for an interesting dish.

It is cooked just like rice with a quinoa to water ratio of 1 : 1.75.  For this lemony high-fiber quinoa salad, the quinoa is cooked in either a chicken or mushroom broth for extra flavor. After the quinoa has cooked for 15 minutes, remove from the stove and allow it to cool with the lid on for 10 extra minutes.  This ensures that the liquid is completely absorbed into the quinoa.  The quinoa will also absorb the salad dressing once mixed.

Allow the quinoa to completely cool before combining it with the vegetables. Enjoy this hearty, healthy lemony, high fiber quinoa salad and if you've added any interesting fixins, let me know in the comments.  Enjoy!