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Best Broccoli Salad with Quinoa

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Best broccoli salad with quinoa, almonds, dried cranberries, and bacon tossed with a lemon poppy seed dressing.

Best Broccoli Salad with Quinoa

Gotta love a good broccoli salad! You agree?!

This one skips the mayo and is tossed with a lemon poppy seed dressing. It tastes unbelievably fresh and yet still has all of the desirable textures and flavors of a great broccoli salad. We have been doing a lot of roasting of veggies this past winter and so it’s great to mix in a little more fresh tasting flavors.

This one’s a keeper!

Umm…will you accept this broccoli??šŸ˜‚

Best Broccoli Salad with Quinoa

Do it!!! You won’t regret making this salad! I mean there’s bacon in it for all of you questionable broccoli lovers out there. Remember when broccoli was only served with a mountain of cheddar cheese on top? Times have changed you guys and so has the way we eat broccoli.

Please make this for your summer cookouts, spring birthday celebrations, pot lucks, and weekday meals. It’s great for all of those and more. It has a little bit of sweetness from the dried cranberries and a little bit of salty from the bacon and together it just works like a charm!

Best Broccoli Salad with Quinoa

Who knows, it might even convert those broccoli haters out there.

We always have a few family get togethers at my parent’s cabin over the summer and I can see this broccoli salad making it to those dinners for sure!! This broccoli salad is like the green bean casserole of summer. You just have to have it there.

And I love that the broccoli salad part only has 5 ingredients!! Oh, and the ingredients for the lemon poppy seed dressing can just be added to a mason jar and shaken up and you got your dressing!

Best Broccoli Salad with Quinoa

Best Broccoli Salad with Quinoa

Best broccoli salad with quinoa, almonds, dried cranberries, and bacon tossed with a lemon poppy seed dressing. 
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Salad

Ingredients
  

Broccoli Salad

  • 1 bunch fresh broccoli
  • 2 strips bacon cooked
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice, about 2 lemons
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp plain greek yogurt
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp honey

Instructions
 

Broccoli Salad

  • Cook quinoa according to package instructions and set aside
  • Wash broccoli. Cut into bite site florets and add to large bowl. Add dried cranberries, almonds, and bacon and toss together. Once quinoa is done cooking, mix in. 

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

  • Add all ingredients to a mason jar and shake well until blended. Add dressing to salad and refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving. 

Notes

I shredded about 1/4 of the broccoli mainly for aesthetic reasons and is not necessary.Ā 

Best Broccoli Salad with Quinoa

 

More Great Salads

 

Spring Spinach Salad

Spring Spinach Salad with the Best Raspberry Vinaigrette

 

Cauliflower Rice Salad

Winter Cauliflower Rice Salad with Lemon Dressing

Winter Cauliflower Rice Salad with Lemon Dressing

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Raw cauliflower salad with kale, carrots, parsley, walnuts, roasted chickpeas, and bacon topped with the best lemon dressing!!

Winter Cauliflower Rice Salad with Lemon Dressing

Current eating trend: frito-crusted chicken tenders with winter cauliflower rice salad. It’s called winning!!

Kids willingly eat supper and I get my salad fix for the day. Best.of.both.worlds.

Winter Cauliflower Rice Salad with Lemon Dressing

This salad is seriously amazing but the roasted chickpeas on top make it next level! Chickpeas do wonders on salads and tbh I don’t typically add them to my salads but they will be added to them on a regular basis from now on.

I’ve said it before and I will probably say it a hundred more times, if you are going to take the time to make a salad be sure to add lots of crunch, plenty of texture, and make it colorful. This salad is not dreary, sad, or lacking anything. It’s evvvrything!!

I just can’t get over how much I love this salad.

Winter Cauliflower Rice Salad with Lemon Dressing

Tips for Making this Salad:

  • Don’t leave out the roasted chickpeas and although I’m not a huge bacon lover, it adds a lot to this salad. I am one to sometimes be impatient and eyeball things but be sure to wait long enough for the chickpeas to get crispy on the stove. It creates that next level salad you are wanting!
  • When making the cauliflower “rice” in the food processor, do it in batches or you will end up with mashed cauliflower. (Yep, I did that) Again the impatient thing I’m working on. So instead I had to send my husband out on a cauliflower run.
  • The best way to prepare the ingredients is to chop them well, speaking specifically about the kale, carrots, and parsley. This ensures you get more flavor per bite.

 

Winter Cauliflower Rice Salad with Lemon Dressing

The dressing for this winter cauliflower rice salad is fabulous and I won’t be judgy if you feel like you need to keep adding more to your salad. I for sure couldn’t get enough. I made it to go with our supper but it’s a great addition to next day’s lunch as well. Soup + salad this time of year for lunch is a favorite of mine!

Winter Cauliflower Rice Salad with Lemon Dressing

Winter Cauliflower Rice Salad with Lemon Dressing

Winter Cauliflower Rice Salad with Lemon Dressing

Raw cauliflower salad with kale, carrots, parsley, walnuts, roasted chickpeas, and bacon topped with the best lemon dressing!!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Salad, Salad Dressing
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

Cauliflower Rice Salad

  • 2 strips bacon
  • 1 can chickpeas rinsed, drained
  • 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup kale chopped
  • 1 medium-large carrot chopped into small pieces
  • 1/4 cup parsley chopped
  • 1/4 cup walnuts chopped

Lemon Dressing

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions
 

Cauliflower Rice Salad

  • Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until fat has rendered, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lines plate and set aside. 
  • Pat chickpeas dry with paper towels and add to clean skillet. Add pinch of salt and black pepper and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over chickpeas. Cook over medium heat until crispy, about 15-20 minutes. 
  • Meanwhile, working in batches add cauliflower to food processor and pulse about 15 times until you get rice consistency. (Don't add too much cauliflower at once or you will end up with mostly mashed cauliflower.) 
  • In a large bowl, combine kale, carrots, parsley, and walnuts. Chop bacon and add to salad. Top with crispy chickpeas. Add lemon dressing just prior to serving and mix. 

Lemon Dressing

  • Combine all ingredients in food processor and process until well blended. Store in fridge until ready to use. 

 

 

More Delicious Salad Ideas

 

Fall Kale & Walnut Salad

Fall Kale & Walnut Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

 

Best Blueberry Spinach Salad with Candied Almonds

best blueberry spinach salad with candied almonds

30-Minute Ranch Chicken with Spicy Greens

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A quick + easy meal that is nutritious and still big on taste. I am all for eating healthy but refuse boring meals. This one is anything but boring!

30-Minute Ranch Chicken with Spicy Greens

I love salads!

Let me rephrase that, I love non-boring salads! This 30-Minute Ranch Chicken with spicy greens is just that!

I am always finding ways to incorporate a variety of greens into my meals in any way possible. They are nutrient dense rather than energy dense. This salad also goes great with the Saskatchewan Chicken I made a few months back.

30-Minute Ranch Chicken with Spicy Greens

The secret to a great salad is that there are no secrets!

A few salad tips:

  • Make it anything but boring. No one wants to eat plain lettuce because it’s just blah by itself. Add lots of colors and textures including a variety of greens, cabbage, seeds, nuts, crushed chips, and even quinoa if you feel like getting really fancy!
  • I love being able to quickly make a side salad for dinner so I like to stock a variety of nuts and seeds in the pantry along with the greens for the base with a few extra fresh veggies to chop up and put in. But honestly, the best part is the crunch and texture so don’t forget the nuts and seeds!
  • As the fresh fruit gets more pricey, I like to replace it with dried cranberries or even frozen fruit.

 

30-Minute Ranch Chicken with Spicy Greens

A tasty meal such as this can’t get much easier! The chicken takes just 5 minutes to prep before you bake it in the oven. While the chicken is baking, the salad can be prepped and ready to serve.

Once the chicken is finished cooking, slice and serve it. It’s one of the easiest meals and yet is one of my favorites!

30-Minute Ranch Chicken with Spicy Greens

Ingredients

Chicken breasts
Mix of greens
Red Cabbage
Sesame Seeds
Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
JalapeƱos
Avocado
Salt/Pepper
Ranch Dressing

30-Minute Ranch Chicken with Spicy Greens

30-Minute Ranch Chicken with Spicy Greens

30-Minute Ranch Chicken with Spicy Greens

Megan
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Salad
Cuisine Healthy

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 1/4 cup Ranch dressing + more to add to salad
  • 5-6 cups mixed greens coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup red cabbage thinly sliced
  • 1 avocado peeled, pitted, and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • handful of crushed blue corn tortilla chips
  • 1 small jalapeƱo seeded and sliced or chopped

Instructions
 

Ranch Chicken

  • Preheat oven to 350ā„‰. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish. Pour 1/4 cup Ranch dressing over chicken and flip over to coat bottom side and flip back over. Repeat with remaining chicken. Bake for 22-25 minutes. (I find cutting chicken breasts in half lengthwise ensures even cooking without under/overcooking the chicken) Slice chicken breasts and serve with salad.

Spicy Green Salad

  • Add mixed greens to a large bowl. Toss in red cabbage and sesame seeds. Add sliced avocado. Top with crushed chips and sliced or chopped jalapeƱo. Drizzle Ranch dressing over salad just prior to serving.

Notes

Salad can be made several hours ahead. In this case, add avocado and Ranch dressing just prior to serving.

 

30-Minute Ranch Chicken with Spicy Greens

 

More Delicious Salad Recipes

 

Berry Delicious Spinach Salad

Berry Delicious Spinach Salad

 

Chicken Chopped Salad with Quinoa

Chopped Chicken Salad with Quinoa and Black Beans

 

Simple Kale and Couscous Salad

Simple Kale and Couscous Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette and Sea Scallops