This easy Weight Watchers Quinoa Salad recipe is made with diced zucchini, corn kernels and a deliciously tasty, fresh honey lemon butter!
And with only 3 WW SmartPoints per serving, you’re doing yourself a disservice by not trying it!
Delicious Quinoa Salad Recipe
First of all, what does quinoa taste like?
What Does Quinoa Taste Like?
Quinoa tastes very similar to rice, which is why I love it so much!
I could eat rice every day, but I try to limit it because most varieties have levels of arsenic in them.
To me, quinoa tastes like a nuttier, crunchier version of brown rice. Mmmm!
And the bonus is that it’s more filling than rice.
Rice vs Quinoa Nutritional Information
In a comparison of one cup of rice vs. one cup of quinoa:
- Calories: Quinoa = 222, Rice = 193
- Total Fat: Quinoa = 4g, Rice = 1g
- Sodium: Quinoa = 13mg, Rice = 7mg
- Carbs: Quinoa = 39g, Rice = 44g
- Fiber: Quinoa = 5g, Rice = 1g
- Protein: Quinoa = 8g, Rice = 4g
As you can see, quinoa has 29 more calories, 3 more grams of fat, & 6 more mg of sodium.
BUT it also has 4 more grams of fiber and twice as much protein as rice!
Fiber and protein are 2 important ingredients for digestion and muscle building.
According to this Healthline article, quinoa is a complete protein, high in fiber, and high in minerals, such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, & zinc.
Unlike rice, quinoa is not a grain.
Although, it is eaten in recipes as a substitute for grains, quinoa is a seed derived from the chenopodium quinoa plant, a relative to spinach and chard.
Who knew?
Quinoa Salad Recipe
So, with this quick little lesson on quinoa, here is our recipe for Quinoa Salad Recipe:
Quinoa Salad Recipe – 3 WW SmartPoints
Ingredients
- - 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- - 2 medium zucchini, diced
- - 4 scallions, diced (I used more because I love scallions)
- - 2 garlic cloves, minced
- - 1 cup corn, canned or frozen (defrosted if frozen/drained if canned)
- - 2 T lemon juice
- - 2 T butter
- - 1 T honey
- - salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions. Once quinoa has been cooked, place in a large bowl and set aside.
- Place a medium sized skillet over medium high heat, melt butter in it, and then add in zucchini and garlic. Cook until zucchini is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Then add in corn and honey and cook until heated through.
- Add the corn and zucchini to the quinoa, along with the scallions and lemon juice and toss to combine.
- Season with salt & pepper.
- Chill in the refrigerator and serve cold.
Notes
The above picture of the WW Quinoa Salad is the entire recipe.
Obviously, this recipe is used as a side dish.
However, you can really beef it up and add a protein like chicken or tofu to make it a main meal.
I happened to make it during the day for blogging purposes and ate it as a main dish for my lunch.
Although I probably could have eaten the entire bowl in one sitting, I restrained.
It is absolutely delicious and so tasty!
The zucchini actually almost tastes fruity because of the lemon and honey.
And the garlic and scallions add to the hearty component of this delicious side dish.
I just can’t get enough of quinoa these days.
Needless to say, I can’t wait to go to the kitchen and heat me up some leftovers!
That’s the best part about posting these recipes.
I get to eat them too.
So, if you haven’t tried quinoa yet, I really encourage you to try it.
For more delicious salads, click on over to:
Asian Ramen Noodle Salad with Chicken: WW SmartPoints
Green Bean Salad Recipe: 3 WW SmartPoints
Healthy Chickpea Salad: WW SmartPoints
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What is the serving size?
Hi Kim, the serving size is about 3/4 cup.
The recipe doesn’t say how much butter.
Hi Erin, Thanks for catching that! It’s 2 tablespoons of butter. I’ve added it to the recipe.
Thanks!
Pam
I have to try it–sounds yummy and it only takes 15 minutes to make??!!
Yup! It’s very easy to make and keeps well in the refrigerator.