Quinoa Fruit Salad

During the summer, nothing beats a nice cold fruit salad on a hot day!  The problem is that fruit isn’t exactly satisfying on its own. Kids, especially, will be yelling, “Mom, I’m hungry!” not long after eating.  So what if a fruit salad wasn’t just a fruit salad? What if you could add a superfood like Quinoa to it?

Whole grains like quinoa provide essential vitamins, minerals and fiber, which help to regulate the digestive system and to keep you fuller and more satisfied. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and contains iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, vitamin E and fiber. 

Choose the fruits that your children love best.  Experiment with the fruits your entire family likes the best.  A great idea is to use red raspberries as a garnish. Enjoy!

Quinoa Fruit Salad

2 cups water

1 cup quinoa

¼ cup unsweetened, dried coconut flakes

¼ cup slivered almonds

1 tsp coconut oil

3 ripe kiwis, peeled, sliced and diced

1 cup diced strawberries

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks

1 cup sweet grapes, halved

Avocado Dressing

½ cup fresh pineapple chunks (or 1/3 cup fresh pineapple juice)

1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

½ avocado

Directions

1. Add water and quinoa to a saucepan.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 12.  Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes to complete cooking.  Then remove lid and allow to cool completely.  Once it is cool to the touch you can put in refrigerator to completely cool.
2. In a sauté pan, heat coconut oil.  Add almonds and coconut flakes.  Stir frequently for 1-3 minutes or until coconut takes on a light brown color.  Remove from heat and put in separate bowl to cool.
3. In a large bowl, toss the quinoa, kiwi, strawberries, pineapple and grapes together.
4. Blend ½ cup fresh pineapple (or juice), lime juice and avocado in a blender or food processor.
5. Pour dressing over quinoa and fruit.  Stir to combine.  Set in the refrigerator until chilled.
6. When serving: sprinkle each bowl with the coconut/almond topping right before serving.

Let us know what you think or what modifications you came up with! Thank you for sharing!