Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Beef Kebabs

Did you know the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest diet in the world? It is full of nutrient dense foods, is flexible, and is linked to longevity. Try our Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Beef Kebabs recipe and we guarantee you'll understand why it's so good!

Ingredients for our beef kebabs: Read the full directions to target your macros for your fat-loss/muscle building goals.

-1 pound of 90% ground beef

- 1 teaspoon cumin

- 1 teaspoon garlic powder

- 1 teaspoon oregano

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

- 3 tablespoon minced onion

- 1/2 teaspoon pepper

- 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Ingredients for our mediterranean quinoa salad: Read the full directions to target your macros for your fat-loss/muscle building goals.

-1 cup quinoa, dry

-1.5 cups water

- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped

- 1/4 cup kirby cucumber, chopped

- 1/4 cup red onion, chopped

- 1/4 cup basil, chopped

- 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

-1/4 cup kalamata olives

-2 tablespoons feta cheese

-Sea salt for flavor

Dressing:

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

-1/4 teaspoon oregano

-Sea salt for flavor

Extra:

-Tzatziki Dip

Instructions for the beef kebabs

1. Mix Ingredients: In a bowl, combine the ground beef, cumin, cinnamon, minced onion, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix until well combined. Can leave in the fridge overnight, or set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Form Kebabs: Shape the mixture into 8 sausage-sized kebabs.

3. Heat Skillet: Preheat a skillet over medium heat.

4. Cook Kebabs: Place kebabs in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through.

5. Serve: Remove from skillet and set aside.

Instructions for the mediterranean quinoa salad:

1. Cook Quinoa: Rinse quinoa under cold water. In a pot, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

2. Prepare Vegetables: While quinoa cooks, chop the red bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, basil, cherry tomatoes, and olives.

3. Make Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and sea salt.

4. Store away remaining quinoa in tupper-ware: For men only use 3/4 cup cooked quinoa with all of the vegetables, feta, and dressing. For women only use 1/2 cup cooked quinoa with all of the vegetables, feta, and dressing.

Assembly for macros:

Men: 8 ounces of beef kebabs (4 beef links), 3/4 cup cooked quinoa mixed with all of the vegetables, feta, and dressing with 2 tablespoons of tzatziki sauce.

Women: 6 ounces of beef kebabs (3 beef links), 1/2 cup cooked quinoa mixed with all of the vegetables, feta, and dressing with 2 tablespoons of tzatziki sauce.

-

Nutritional Information for men: (macros/calories reflect following from the above)

Calories per plate: 808

Protein: 58g

Carbs: 37g

Fat: 44g

Nutritional Information for women: (macros/calories reflect following from the above)

Calories per plate: 653

Protein: 45g

Carbs: 27g

Fat: 38g

***Keep in mind there will be leftover quinoa and beef kebabs. Store in a container for later use***

At our gym we like to provide our Loudoun County gym members with a mix of health and yumminess! Make sure to subscribe and don't forget to leave us a comment for any recipes you'd like for us to recreate!