Quinoa Caprese Salad

by Rachel McCarthy
Happy Tuesday! I know I’ve mentioned this before, but one of the things I dread most about the weekends is figuring out what I will make for the next week’s lunch. I know, it sounds kind of silly, but it’s always a big to-do in our house. Usually, I make my lunch for the work week during the weekend so that it is ready to go and there is little to no thinking when it comes to grabbing lunch each weekday morning. But, after eating the same thing for 5 consecutive days, I sometimes get bored, so I’m always trying to think of new lunch ideas that are not only filling, but also healthy.

 **I actually ate this lunch for three work weeks straight because I loved it so much! I did eventually OD on pesto {haha!} but I will probably be back to it next week. It’s SO delicious!**
You could easily buy store-bought pesto if you are looking for an even quicker, make ahead lunch, but since I was down at my parent’s house and my mom has an abundance of basil growing in her garden, I decided to use some of it! Making your own pesto is SO much healthier than store-bought and it’s not too difficult and only requires a few ingredients.

Quinoa is a great lunchtime staple because it keeps you full all afternoon! This exact recipe yielded five days of lunch for me, so it’s a perfect recipe to make over the weekend and have ready to go come Monday. Just one suggestion: if you are making this to last over the course of a few days, I would recommend cleaning the tomatoes and placing them in a separate bag and adding the tomatoes and mozzarella each morning before heading to work. The tomatoes and cheese could get a little soggy if you mix it all together and let it sit for a few days. 

print recipe

Quinoa Caprese Salad
by July-19-2016
A healthy and filling lunch idea that’s packable!
Ingredients
  • 1 pint tomatoes, halved
  • 8 ounces mozzarella pearls
  • 1 cup dried quinoa
  • 2 cups fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (or just until paste forms)
Instructions
Cook the quinoa according to the package directions. To make the pesto: in a food processor, add the basil, pine nuts, garlic clove, salt and pepper; blend until incorporated. With the food processor running, begin to add the olive oil, just until a paste forms. Transfer the pesto to a clean bowl and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Once the quinoa has cooled, transfer to a large bowl and add the tomatoes and mozzarella pearls. Add the pesto and stir until completely combined. Serve and enjoy.






….

Thanks for dropping by and happy lunch prepping!

8 thoughts on “Quinoa Caprese Salad”

Comments are closed.