Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Recipes

Red Quinoa Salad with Corn and Mint

September 11, 2013

A couple days after we moved into this house, we were sitting on the swing set outside and had a visit from one of our neighbors. Greta was especially excited about this visit, because it was a 9 year old girl (Greta loooooooves other kids). Eleanor (the girl) was very friendly and excited to meet us. She gave us the lowdown on the neighborhood and even told us a few things about our house. She was so excited that she spoke very quickly and I didn't catch all of her words. One of the words I did catch? "Mint." "Wait, what was that? Can you repeat what you just said?" "Which part? The mint?" "Yes, the mint, we have mint growing?" "Yeah, right over here." We walked over behind one of the shrubs and, sure enough, there was a 3 square foot area teaming with fresh mint. There were also chives and gooseberries, but that's another post.

Oh the possibilities! I've never had herbs growing in my yard, and to find out this was there and I didn't even have to do anything to make it so?! I was ecstatic! Still am a bit. But with summer drawing to an end, I realized that I need to get crackin' on the mint recipes (I'll probably dry what I can't use, but it's just so good fresh).

This recipe was inspired by a quinoa salad I saw on Pinterest. Funny thing is, the only three ingredients that were the same were quinoa, lemon and oil, but the other things I ended up using just felt like such a great fit. Check it:

- 1.5 cups Uncooked Red Quinoa (you can use regular)
- 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
- 2 ears of corn, cooked and the kernels cut off the cob
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp honey

First thing, cook the quinoa. Quinoa is like rice - 1 part of the grain, 2 parts water. For red or black quinoa, add an extra couple tablespoons. I just cooked mine in a rice cooker and it worked great - add 2 tsp salt to the water before cooking. Lay the quinoa on a baking sheet and let it cool completely. Mix the bulleted ingredients together to make the dressing. Combine the other ingredients together and mix well, then add the dressing and toss to coat.

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you saw me eating the leftovers for lunch yesterday. What does that mean? I thought it was good enough to eat twice. And I'll eat it again. It's light and fresh, but also substantial enough to help you feel full when eaten with lighter meats like chicken and fish.

So that's it for today. What would you pair this with? Any changes you'd make? Let's hear it! Cheers all, check ya later.

— Hide Comments
+ ShowComments
What do you think?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Loving the recipes! Can you make a recipe page that shows all the links to them by category? Apps, Main Entrees, Desserts? I am sensing a self-published cook book in your future!

  2. This sounds so good! We will have to make it this weekend for sure - I have mint growing on the back porch, but never know what to make with it. Thanks for the inspiration!

What We're

Loving

Right Now

What We're

Loving

Right Now

Looking for our favorite things? A place to shop our home room by room, or just catch up on what Julia's wearing / loving right now? Browse the CLJ shop
Shop All

Love Stories

Love Where You Live

In an industry that often feels designed to make you discontent, we want this to be place you come for inspiration, ideas, and encouragement to make the space you're already in feel like home.
Read All Posts
let's break this thing up

BROWSE BY CATEGORY

01

Portfolio

Befores, afters, mood boards, plans, failures, wins. We’ve done a lot of projects, and they’re all here.
read more
02

Projects

We have a long-standing relationship with DIY, and love rolling our sleeves up and making it happen.
read more
03

Design

Even when you don’t want to rip down a wall, you can make that space in your home better. Right now.
read more
hello world!

looking for inspiration?

A mood board with cowboy-inspired moody fashion picks and equestrian-themed home decor
Fashion

Canadian Cowboy: Not Your Average Western Look

I loved seeing fresh takes on Western wear. It goes to show there's room for fashion in every aesthetic. Recently I saw this funny interview with Brett Goldstein of Ted Lasso fame. He said he recently went to Texas for the first time (he's English if you're unaware), put on a cowboy hat and immediately […]
5 cutting boards in a grid on a marble countertop with various fruits, herbs and vegetables
Product Tests

My Tell-All Review of Composite Cutting Boards

This post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own. Nothing matches a beautiful wooden cutting board (our Boos board lives on my counter—it's a piece of art and sturdy as an ox). The drawback with wooden cutting boards is they can't be cleaned in the dishwasher. For anyone cutting meat, seafood, or anything […]
Decor

The Final Reveal: Greta's Bedroom Transformation

Greta is turning 15 in just a few days, and it feels like the perfect time for the reveal of her teen room makeover! Shop Greta's Room When we moved into this house, we replaced the floors and painted her room, but didn't really do much other than that. She’s growing up, and she wanted […]
Two seared filet mignon steaks on a serving plate with crispy sage on top
Chris Cooks

How to Perfectly Cook a Steak in Any Kitchen

The best way to make a steak is indoors. That's not a concession! It's done in all of the best steakhouses. They don't tend to use a grill, even though that is where most of us start when it comes to cooking a steak. This time of year? I'd rather be indoors than freezing outside, […]
Learn With Us
Want to do what we do? Get the tools, mentorship, and training to be a Good Influencer professionally.
Learn More
Looking for Something?

SEARCH THE BLOG

We've been doing this since 2009 and we've posted a whopping 24145+ blog posts and counting. You might need a little help searching, huh?

Can We Send You Our Love Letter?

Another way for us to stay in touch! Joining our weekly newsletter gives you access to exclusive content, never-before-seen photos, your questions answered, and our favorite DIYs. Sign up below!

hello world!
Follow Along on Instagram
Welcome to our online community where we've posted home, DIY, style, renovations, and family since '09. Renovating our #cljmoderncottage in Idaho and headed for new adventures in Raleigh, NC. #cljfam #cljtransformations
© 2025 Chris Loves Julia, LLC
PRIVACY POLICYTERMS & CONDITIONSAFFILIATE DISCLAIMERSITE CREDITCOMMUNITY GUIDELINES