SummerTime means salad

At least to me it does. I mean who really wants to have the oven on, when it's super hot outside? No thanks. So summer for me means salads. 

But salads as a meal mean taking you basic salad up a notch in my house (mostly because my husband will inevitably ask what else we're eating). 

So I came up with this little diddy. Super easy, delicious, and packed with protein!

SUMMER QUINOA SALAD

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2-4

2 grilled chicken breasts (you could even use rotisserie chicken)

2 cups chopped spinach or mixed greens

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/2 cup grape tomatoes chopped in half

1 avocado diced

Feta to taste (optional)

Dressing:

4 oz. olive oil

2 oz. balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

pinch of salt

Start with the quinoa. Get the quinoa cooking, and once it's cooked, put it aside to cool.

Assemble the dressing. Put all the dressing ingredients into a bowl and mix until smooth. Put it aside.

Assemble all of your salad ingredients in a big bowl, toss in the quinoa and the dressing, and mix it all up until everything is good and coated in the dressing! Serve and enjoy!