It is spring and that means I only eat green.
And quinoa. Quinoa isn’t green. Yet.
I am crazy busy right now, let me tell you. Usually, busy for me means lots of studying and stressing about school. But now, busy is a bunch of fun (but still totalllly tiring) things!
Prom was last weekend and while I had an amazing time, it was definitely a hectic experience. I had a dress disaster (long story short, I was left dress-less until 8pm the night before prom!) and then the day of was basically a full day of jumping from nails to hair, picking up flowers, doing my makeup, hating my makeup, re-doing my makeup, getting ready, and heading over to pictures. As you can see, everything worked out in the end.
I got home at 3:30am the next day, showered, slept till noon, got up and went straight to dance, and then showered again in time for brunch. Ohhhhh brunch. Wow was that great. Tons of bread, jam, dark chocolate and biscoff spread, fresh berries, grapefruit juice, gazpacho, and quinoa salad.
Yeah this post is me trying to re-live my post-prom brunch. (I want to go back).
Not much to say about this salad except it’s ridiculously healthy and allergy-friendly! I know quinoa is technically gluten-free, but if you’re celiac, it can apparently trigger the same response as gluten, so let’s just avoid medical drama and label this wheat-free 🙂
In the next few weeks, I’ll have AP testing, a solo performance at the Kennedy Center, Senior exams, Graduation, and so many (last ever!) dance recitals with my different teachers, classes, and companies. It’s definitely bittersweet!
Anyways. You came here for salad and got a long rambling post about my life. Sorry, I’m nostalgic already and I haven’t even left yet.
Enjoy!
- 2 cups quinoa, cooked
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach, packed
- ½ cup green peas
- a handful of pea shoots
- 2 avocados, diced
- a slightly smaller handful of cilantro
- juice of one lemon
- ¼ cup olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- Fluff your quinoa with a fork and combine with peas, avocados, lemon juice, and olive oil in a large (and I mean large) bowl.
- Stick in the fridge.
- Chop your spinach, pea shoots, and cilantro all together on the same chopping board.
- Stir your greens into the quinoa mixture and add salt and pepper to taste!
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Aww. Sounds like a great prom! My seniors are stressing right now, too.
And good luck at the Ken Cen! That is amazing!
This salad looks fantastic. Your brunch sounds that way, too. Lot of good eating going on!
Haha thanks 🙂 Brunch rocks!
Hopefully, you’ll be about to slow down soon. Senior year is always exciting but stressful. You look beautiful in your gown and I hope you had a blast at prom. You only have a few more weeks until you’ve graduate! The salad looks beautiful and hearty. What a great lunch idea.
Thank you!
You looked beautiful! Alex had a dress drama when she was in high school She tried on her formal dress for the first time since bringing it home from the seamstress three hours before she was supposed to go to a friends for pictures. Long story short, the zipper broke! We raced to Neiman Marcus and she found a Nicole Miler dress that fit her like a glove, and it didn’t need to be hemmed. Miracles do happen-haha!
Best of luck at the Kennedy Center and with all of the exciting things you get to enjoy in the coming weeks. 🙂
This salad looks beautiful and so healthy. Gorgeous pictures too.
Prom miracles are true!
You looked so beautiful!! And this salad looks fantastic!
Thank you!
Wow! You have so much to look forward to the next few weeks. I know you’re stressed, but keep rocking it! Healthy salads like these will give you the energy boost and nutrients you need to keep being awesome. Congrats on your impending graduation!
Haha thanks!
Ah lovely salad and what a gorgeous dress! Glad you had a great time at prom!
Thanks, Jessica!
Glad to hear prom was great! What a gorgeous salad!
Thanks, Gayle 🙂
you look so beautiful in your dress! And how busy you are, not to metion talented. This quinoa salad looks fabulous! Enjoy you graduation!!
Thanks so much!
You looked beautiful and this dish looks delicious!
Thank you 🙂
This looks amazing. I use quinoa for warm salads all the time and run out of ideas with how to dress (and shamefully I do use store-bought dressings quite a bit). Trying to get away from that so I’ll definitely be trying this out at home!
Quinoa salads are the best 🙂
Sounds like your life is full of excitement right now! Good luck on all your exams & performance! This salad looks really good, and is so healthy! My kind of meal 🙂
Thanks, Neli 🙂
Medha, you look so beautiful in that gorgeous dress! Your salad looks pretty darn good too! And OMG! The Kennedy Center? Wow! Good luck! I know you will be amazing!
Thanks so much 🙂
Such an exciting time! You look beautiful in your prom dress! This looks delightful — I’m all about green in the Spring too!
Thanks so much!
I’m glad you had a wonderful prom, and you looked gorgeous! And here’s to eating green, which I’ve been doing plenty of. Love this dish!
Yay you! That’s awesome 🙂
I never knew that quinoa can be a trigger for Celiac disease — that’s super helpful! You looked gorgeous girl! And so does this salad 🙂
Yeah, I was suspicious and glad I looked it up. Thanks 🙂
How fun! I remember my prom…so many years ago! It was such a fun night! Love the looks of this salad!
Thanks!
Girl, you’ve got it GOING ON. You look gorgeous. I hope you had an amazing time!! And yay for eating all the green! This quinoa salad is my cup of tea. Errrr salad.
Omg coming from you that means a lot!
I totally don’t cook quinoa enough when I just love it. The green goddess twist is fantastic! And your prom!! You looked beautiful…glad everything worked out so well in the end. 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
You ARE busy! But I’m glad it’s with fun things! 🙂 This salad looks so healthy and delicious!
The moment I’m not busy, I’m bored, so it’s a good thing I’m active most of the time 🙂 Thanks!
Oh, no, sorry to hear about your dress disaster. You look great! And this quinoa salad looks amazing! Love all of the green goodness!
Thanks!
This salad looks to die for, and you look amazing!! Love that dress.
Aw thanks 🙂
You looked just beautiful in your prom dress, Medha! And this salad look healthy and amazingly delicious!
Thanks! 🙂
This salad looks soooo tasty. YUMMY!! 🙂 OMG AP tests…prom….senior tests…graduation. What I would do to be back in your shoes 🙂 So fun – enjoy it all! Also – love your dress! 🙂
Haha thanks!
You looked gorgeous, Medha! Love the dress and glad everything worked out in the end! This green quinoa salad looks amazing!
Thanks 🙂
It sounds like prom was fun! When I was a junior in high school I waited until the day before to buy my dress and ended up with a neon yellow one…whoops. This salad looks amazing! I love anything with quinoa, especially when there is avocado too. Two of my faves!
We all have crazy prom stories! 🙂
Sounds like you had a great time – gorgeous dress!
I’d put green goddess on everything 😉 I love this salad! Healthy, full of flavor, and filling – the ultimate spring/summer dish!
Thanks!
That quinoa salad looks SO beautiful, delicious, and healthy! And your prom dress is gorgeous!! 🙂
Thanks 🙂
Mmmm.. love all the green goodness you’ve got going on here! <3
Thank you!
Glad to hear your prom was great! You look beautiful! This quinoa salad sounds amazing!
Thanks, Jen!
Loving the idea of using Quinoa in the salad. Super healthy and fun recipe. I feel your stress but once everything is over you will feel so much relief. You look great in the picture! 🙂
Exactly! Thanks 🙂
Awesome prom – awesome food – what could be better?
Nothing, tbh 🙂
OMG PROM!!!! People at my school have been talking about it for agessssss!!! (It’s finally this weekend) I’m not going because I’m still a freshman, but I hope you had a wonderful time and the last few days of being a high schooler!!! :/
This salad looks amazing!
Thanks! 🙂
This salad sounds delicious and looks so healthy! I may try it with millet, which I have only recently started playing with.
Oooh I have never had millet, but I am intrigued 🙂
Your dress is so pretty! I’m glad everything worked out in the end 🙂
This salad looks amazing! I JUST used up all of my avocados, so I really need to buy more 😉
Thanks! I have two ripe ones, now. Avo toast, anyone?
You looked absolutely amazing for your prom, Medha! It really does sound like you’re busy right now … but with good things!
This is a perfect spring salad. Spring really does make you want to eat more greens, doesn’t it? You’ve inspired me to make something similar for lunch this week!
Thanks!
Awww, prom! I miss those days! So glad you had a great time. 🙂 This salad looks SO yummy, and definitely a nice pick me up after a long night of dancing!
Haha thanks!
Woo hoo! You look fantastic girlfriend! Glad it was fun and you got a dress in time. This salad has everything I love. It’s beautiful. Love that last shot! XO
Thank you!
Hey Medha! Congratulations on making it through a hectic pre-prom! You look gorgeous in your fancy dress! I’m so impressed you have time to even share this salad with us! But, I am so glad you did. Fabulously delicious! Best to you while performing at the KC! That is amazing!!
Haha thank you! KC went soooo well 🙂
What a great looking salad! So perfect for spring!
Thank you 🙂