This Instant Pot quinoa is so fluffy, full of chewy texture, and pairs well with bright flavors of fresh lemon juice and herbs for a great grab-and-go meal prep lunch to take with you to work.
How was your Monday morning? Running out the door and barely getting your phone and keys, with no time to make a proper nutritious lunch. It’s easy to get fast food or something cheap and easy when you are in a hurry and there’s nothing to grab on the way out. But that can change!
Quinoa is a great choice for a yummy kick start to healthy clean eating. It’s gluten-free, twice the protein content of rice or barley, and contains sufficient amounts of all nine essential amino acids. It is also high in fiber, magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E and various beneficial antioxidants.
Enjoy a light healthy meal that is easy to make and easy to grab-and-go. It may take a little bit of planning and diligence, but it will be worth it when you feel good about life choices that are only helping you live longer. What’s great about this recipe is how versatile the base ingredient is to transform into other meals and flavors. This guest recipe is from Carrie Foster’s cookbook, The Healthy Meal Prep Instant Pot Cookbook: No Fuss Recipes for Nutritious, Ready-to-Go Meals which has other efficient ways to meal prep delicious health conscience dishes and we’ve reviewed the book here.
Make sure to also check out 20 Clever Instant Pot Meal Prep Ideas and 20 Instant Pot Freezer Meals For Easy Prep & Batch Cooking
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This recipe is so easy that I can practically make it in my sleep. I like to whip it up when I need something to eat on the go that doesn’t have to be reheated. The cooked quinoa is fluffy and full of chewy texture, and it goes so well with the bright flavors of fresh lemon juice and herbs.
Ingredients
2 cups quinoa, rinsed
3 ½ cups water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 English cucumber, peeled and diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
4 scallions, white and light green parts only, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted
Instructions
1. Combine the quinoa, water, olive oil, and lemon juice in the inner pot.
2. Lock the lid into place. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; set the pressure to High and the time to 20 minutes. Make sure the steam release knob is in the sealed position. After cooking, quick release the pressure.
3. Unlock and remove the lid. Using a fork, fluff the quinoa, then stir in the cucumber, tomatoes, scallions, parsley, mint, and pine nuts.
4. Serve immediately, or place the tabbouleh in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Notes
MEAL PREP TIP: The sky’s the limit for other items to include in this salad. I like shredded chicken, sliced avocado, dried cranberries, raisins, chopped pistachios, or Parmesan cheese
Nutrition
- Calories: 301
- Sodium: 11mg
- Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 10g
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