Quinoa Salad with Creamy Turmeric and Cilantro Dressing

Lately, I’ve been playing around with meal prepping in a way that feels sustainable for me—because, truthfully, I’ve never been a traditional meal prepper. While I love leftovers, I sometimes get bored eating the same thing over and over again. However, I’ve realized that having a flexible meal base on hand can make lunchtime easier without feeling repetitive.

Meal bases are versatile, simple recipes that can serve as different parts of a whole meal. They can be the base of a salad or bowl, a side dish, or even a topper. By prepping just one base at the start of the week, I’ve given myself more options without feeling locked into one meal.

This quinoa-based recipe is one I’ve been loving lately. It’s fresh, packed with protein, and pairs well with so many meals.

There are two parts to this recipe: the dressing and the salad.

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro

• 3 tablespoon yogurt

• Juice from ½ lemon

• 1 tsp turmeric

• Salt & pepper

Dressing Instructions

• Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cooked quinoa, cooled

•  1 red pepper, small diced

• 1 cucumber, small diced

Salad Instructions:

• Combine the quinoa, red pepper, and cucumber in a bowl.

• Drizzle with dressing and mix until well coated.

Here are a few tips for meal prep:

• Store the dressing separately and add it just before eating to keep the salad fresh.

• This base lasts up to four days in a sealed container in the fridge.

• This dressing lasts up to 3-5 days in a sealed container in the fridge.

• You can use it as a bowl base by adding more vegetables, chicken, or tofu on top.

• You can use it to top a taco, a salad, a grain bowl, or wrap for extra flavor and texture.

• You can use it as a side dish to another protein or vegetable.

• If you have leftover dressing, you can use that to top a salad, a bowl, a wrap, a protein, and so much more!