Starting the week with a Sweet Corn, Berry, and Roasted Beet Quinoa Spinach Salad because you can’t beet a good salad with all of summers best seasonal produce and this sweet corny combo has it all!
Salads and veggies in general haven’t been my friend since I got pregnant just over a year ago but I miss them so much I’ve been trying really hard to add them in and not giving up. As I mentioned last weekend we had a lot of local sweet corn, and berries, so I was looking for any and every way to enjoy them besides by the handful. This salad combo hit the spot and was on repeat for a couple of days. Almost like the quinoa salads I lived off of summers ago and burnt the family out on but instead just sneaking in the quinoa with corn on this flavor packed spinach salad.
Already packed with protein from the quinoa I still decided to add a little slightly spicy tofu on top as an option. My youngest daughter, A, needs to get in more protein with all her gymnastics and use to love tofu and wanted to try to find more ways to enjoy it. Not everyone in the family loves it so I made sure to pack in all the nutrition with or without it added.
Packed with as much nutrition as seasonal flavor this salad has it all!! Spinach, quinoa, local sweet corn (can’t get enough!), fresh juicy strawberries, roasted beets (a fav always!!), tofu (I like sprouted tofu), and topping off all the goodness with a cilantro avocado dressing! If strawberries aren’t good where you are blueberries are also delicious in this salad!
I would love to go into all the nutrition packed into this salad but I’m sure you know all these healthy whole foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats, and good carbs and I don’t need to go into detail for you to know it’s good for you even though it tastes amazing! Instead I’m going to soak up all the summer moments with my family as it was a long rough week last week topped off with my husband traveling for work. This week is busy but also packed with some good times I’m sure will make it all worth it and ending the week with some much needed me time. A message and hair cut for the first time since Baby G was born 5 months ago. Yep he turned 5 months old over the weekend and not sure where time is going.
Anyone else think summer is flying by?
Don’t forget it’s Meatless Monday and there are more great recipes linked up below and as always Deborah and I hope you join us and look forward to what’s cooking in your kitchen.
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 1 hour |
| Passive Time | 1 hour |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 4 c spinach
- 4 large beets (used 2 each golden and red)
- 2-3 c cooked quinoa (use 1 pre-cooked if cooking for this salad cooked according to packaged instructions)
- 1-2 c sliced or halved strawberries
- 2 ears sweet corn, approx 2 cups
- 12-15 oz tofu (pressed for at least 30 minutes to overnight)
- 1/4 c avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch cumin
- 3 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 small avocados
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- 3/4-1 c chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 pinch salt to taste
- 2 TBSP-1/4c water
Ingredients
Sweet Corn, Berry, and Roasted Beet Quinoa Spinach Salad
Slightly Spicy Tofu
Avocado Dressing
|
|
- Press tofu, slicing 2 bricks in half so they are about 1" thick.
- Lay paper towels down on a plate or cutting board. Place tofu on the paper towels and put another layer of on top of the tofu. Put another plate or a cutting board on top of the paper towels and then weigh it down with heavy books, cans, or even a cast iron skillet. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
- After pressing tofu cut in half and then in half diagonally into triangles. Mix remaining ingredients together for the marinade and place tofu in the marinade. You can do this ahead and let marinade in a covered container for at least an hour and up to a day in advance.
- Preheat oven to 400F if needing to roast beets.
- Wash beets, pierce with a knife a few times and wrap in foil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes until tender and easy to poke with a knife. Let cool before pealing, quartering, and chopping into 1" pieces. Beets can be cooked a day or two in advanced in stored in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the salad.
- While the beets are cooling cook 1 cup quinoa according to packaged instructions. Again this can be done ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Roast or boil corn cobs, let cool before cutting corn from the cob. Alternatively you can use frozen corn that has been thawed.
- When you're ready to assemble the salads make the dressing. The corn and quinoa can be warm or cold when making the salad, it's personal preference.
- In a small food processor blend avocado, juice from half a lime, garlic, salt, and cilantro together. Add water to reach desired consistency.
- I like to air fry the tofu, cooking at 400F for 15 minutes add adding to the salad while warm. For leftovers I enjoy it cold. You can also pan fry the tofu cooking over medium high heat until nice and crispy before flipping and cooking the other side or bake flipping half way through.
- Plate pretty or toss together spinach, quinoa, corn, beets, strawberries, and tofu. Drizzle or mix with Avocado Dressing.
- Enjoy!
To speed up the process the tofu, quinoa, beets, and corn can be prepped ahead of time. You can also use pre-cooked beets and frozen corn.
Like it, PIN it for later!
Deborah Brooks
I do love corn in my salads as well. Great addition with the baked tofu. Happy Monday
Becca | Rabbit Food Runner
Roasted beets are divine, as are strawberries. Yum!
Kristen Wood
What an absolutely lovely combination for a salad! Yum!
Sharon Wong
That’s a beautiful salad, I definitely need to vary my salads a bit and will try your recipe.