Grilled Asparagus Tri Color Quinoa Salad with Lemony Basil Verde

It is officially Spring so our meals need to get lighter and brighter! You must try this Grilled Asparagus Tri Color Quinoa Salad!

This easy healthy quinoa recipe can be prepared in under 30 minutes.

Fresh and Green, Asparagus is a perfect addition for the Spring Menu. It is packed with Vitamins A, C,E and K and tastes really good too.

To create this Grilled Asparagus with Tri Color Quinoa Recipe I paired the Asparagus with a light and fluffy Tri Color Quinoa and diced Red Peppers.

Quinoa has a unique taste and texture. I would say a bit like brown rice crossed with oatmeal. It comes out fluffy, creamy, crunchy and kind of nutty when cooked.

If you love healthy meals under 400 calories meals make sure you try my Chickpea Crepes, Artisan Pizza, Zucchini Pizza, Shrimp Salad Sandwich or my favorite BBQ Pulled Chicken.

Why make this recipe?

You don't want to miss out on this simple grilled vegetable and quinoa salad!

Weight Watcher Friendly - Only 5 points on my WW Plan for one cup of this garden quinoa salad. Since the new Weight Watchers plan is personalized you will have to input the ingredients used to get your exact points.

Mouth watering low calorie meal - It's not easy to find delicious meals under 300 calories. This Tri Color Quinoa Salad comes in at only 267 calories for a one cup serving.

Easy to make - Only 8 very simple ingredients needed to make this quinoa salad bowl.

Budget Friendly - Costs less than $20.00 to prepare. Perfect to bring to a potluck lunch or dinner.

I love quick and easy meals to prepare during weeknights and this one was on the table in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

Here are the Ingredients:

• One Cup of Organic Tri Color Quinoa - Barley and Brown Rice are also good to add in for a barley & quinoa salad.

• Two Lemons

• One Bunch of Asparagus

• 7 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

• 1 ½ Cups of Basil Leaves

• One Garlic Clove

• One Red Bell Pepper

• 8 ounce Container of Fresh Mozzarella Pearls - optional to add

How to Make the Best Quinoa Salad:

Preparation:

1: Cook the Quinoa according to the package directions. Usually 1 cup of Quinoa with 2 cups of water and you can add a dash a salt and a teaspoon of Butter for additional flavor if desired. Or check out my post on How to make Quinoa in the Instant Pot in One Minute.

2: Prepare your Asparagus spears by trimming the bottom inch off of the spears. Toss the Asparagus with 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil, Some fresh squeezed lemon juice and a dash of salt & pepper. I placed the Asparagus in a large Zip Lock Bag to coat well.

3: While your Quinoa is cooking heat up your Indoor Grill and place the seasoned Asparagus on the grill for about 10 minutes until fork tender and charred turning often.

4: Remove from Grill and let cool then cut into 2 inch pieces on an angle.

5: Now we are going to prepare the tasty Lemony Basil Verde. Take your Basil, Garlic, Lemon Juice, 5 Tablespoons of Olive Oil and a dash of Salt & Pepper and place in a Mini Food Processor. Pulse until well mixed.

6: Take your Red Bell Pepper and Halve it and remove the seeds, then finely chop.

7: The Finale - Add your Cooked Quinoa to a Festive Large Bowl and fluff with a fork. Add Sliced Asparagus, Red Bell Pepper and Drizzle the Lemony Basil Verde and toss to combine. Top with the Mozzarella Pearls.

If you need a dish to bring to a party or family get together this is the one. It looks amazing and tastes even better.

Recipe FAQ's:

Are you a Weight Watcher?

If you follow my Blog you probably already know I am a lifetime member of Weight Watchers and I like to point all of my Recipes with the WW Points System.

This Easy Grilled Asparagus Tri Color Quinoa Salad Recipe is only 5 Points on my app for one serving.  Weight Watchers has a new individualized program right now to make it easier to enjoy the foods you love and still lose weight.

Just plug the ingredients into your WW app to confirm the points for your individual program.

I used to go back and forth between the Purple Plan and the Blue Plan prior to the new program and whenever I hit a plateau I did my own 30 Day Low Carb Meal Plan which jumpstarted the Fat Burning again, so if you feel stuck try it!

If you want to see the old Purple, Blue and Green WW Food Lists for each plan just click Here…

Make sure check out my Newbie WW Tips and Tricks Guide if you are just getting started.

More recipes you will love!

Make sure you grab a FREE copy of my Low Carb Food Swaps Guide Here...

Print

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. See my full disclosure policy here.

Grab a copy of my newest book from Amazon if you need an easy to follow Low Carb 30 Day Meal Plan to jump-start your weight-loss. Lose up to 5 lbs in the first week.