Recipes and Cooking Basil Quinoa Salad 4.0 (11) To save time, prepare a big batch of whole grains (like quinoa) and store in the refrigerator for up to four days. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on December 1, 2014 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Karla Conrad Total Time: 30 mins Servings: 6 Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 1 cup fresh basil leaves 2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoon olive oil 4 cloves garlic, minced ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 cup cooked quinoa* 1 15 ounce can no-salt-added red kidney beans, rinsed and drained or 1-3/4 cups cooked red kidney beans 1 cup chopped yellow sweet pepper (1 large) ½ cup chopped, seeded tomato (1 medium) ½ cup sliced green onions (4) 4 cup baby spinach or arugula Directions Place basil in a food processor. Add Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cover and process until nearly smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of processor bowl as needed; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together cooked quinoa, beans, sweet pepper, tomato, and green onions. Add basil mixture; stir to coat. Serve quinoa mixture over baby spinach. *Tip: To make 2 cups cooked quinoa, in a fine strainer rinse 1/2 cup quinoa under cold running water; drain. In a small saucepan combine 1 1/4 cups water, the quinoa, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Let stand to cool slightly. Drain off any remaining liquid. Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 177 Calories 6g Fat 24g Carbs 8g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Calories 177 % Daily Value * Total Fat 6g 8% Saturated Fat 1g 5% Cholesterol 1mg 0% Sodium 235mg 10% Total Carbohydrate 24g 9% Total Sugars 1g Protein 8g Vitamin C 53.7mg 269% Calcium 90.9mg 7% Iron 2.7mg 15% Potassium 317mg 7% Folate, total 72.6mcg Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg Vitamin B-6 0.2mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.