Strawberry Quinoa Salad

After spending the day in Central Park, I came home hot and sticky. I wanted to eat something but was not sure what. I decided to try a recipe I saw in last week's Weight Watcher flier, Strawberry Quinoa Salad.

This salad makes for a nice light dinner on a hot summer night. Quinoa is a wonderful grain because it is easier to digest than wheat and also has a lot of protein.($4.00 a box at Trader Joe's) For vegetarians, quinoa is a complete protein. The taste is somewhat similar to cous cous, and makes for a nice addition to your starch options.


1 C quinoa, rinsed
3 C whole strawberries, hulled (halved and quartered if large)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
½ C low-fat sesame-ginger salad dressing
1 5 oz container baby arugula salad blend


Method:

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool completely, about 20 minutes. Stir in strawberries, cucumber, and ¼ C of the dressing. Combine salad blend and remaining ¼ C of dressing; toss to coat. Divide salad blend among 4 plates; top evenly with strawberry mixture. (Yields 2 1/4 C per serving.)


Cost: about $3.50 total or .87 per serving
Time: 15 minutes active, 20 minutes inactive


Nutrition Facts: Amount Per Serving
Calories 245.7

Total Fat 5.1 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 399.5 mg
Potassium 271.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate 44.1 g
Dietary Fiber 6.0 g
Sugars 11.7 g
Protein 6.1 g

Weight Watcher Points: 4 points per serving